The Abused and The Bullied
by Love Exists Where Unexpected
Summary: Yugi Moto, the new kid in Domino, North Carolina and a normal teen – for the most part. Yami Sennen, the wealthy god of Domino High and the most wanted guy in school. Both are homosexual, but one is bullied while the other is treated like anyone else, except better. When Yugi and Yami meet, will they finally learn to trust again? Will Yugi rely on someone other than Amaterasu?
1. Prologue

Kitty: Hi, guys! So, I'm gonna be writing this with PaRaDiCe93, and I hope you like it. The prologue was basically introducing the story (as a good prologue should). Nickey will be doing Yami's P.O.V., and I will be doing Yugi's. In the prologue, Yugi is 14, and Yami has just turned 15. Either way, they're both freshman, so I mean, does it really matter what their exact ages are? No, no, it doesn't. Now, the summary!

Yugi: I assume that's gonna be me, Author-chan?

Kitty: But of course! Unless... Nickey, does Yami wanna do the honors of summary? I mean, it's either that or the disclaimer. I, personally, think he should wear a tutu while he does his part!

Nickey: Well, who am I to deny a fangirl her request?! How about Yugi does the summary, while I get Yami in a tutu to do the disclaimer! ^^

Yami: I am NOT wearing a tutu, Nickey!

Nickey: Oh yes... Yes you are... TAKE IT AWAY YUGI!

Yugi: Yugi Moto, the new kid in Domino, North Carolina and a normal teen – for the most part. Yami Sennen, the wealthy god of Domino High and the most wanted guy in school. Both are homosexual, but one is bullied while the other is treated like anyone else, except better. When Yugi and Yami meet, will they finally learn to trust again? Will Yugi rely on someone other than big sister Amaterasu? And, of all things, will they finally let go of the past and their families?

Yugi: Well, I feel so loved, Kitty!

Kitty: That's because you are loved, Yugi!

Yugi: * rolls eyes * Alright, time for the disclaimer!

Nickey: * kicks Yami out in a pink tutu * You got this!

Yami: * grumbling * Kitty and Nickey own nothing but the poems and songs that are used in the story...

Yugi: Kitty owns Amaterasu, and Nickey owns... Nickey, what DO you own in this story?

Nickey: * shrugs *

Kitty: Well, whatever Nickey owns is what Nickey owns. I'm sure she'll explain at some point what she owns.

Nickey: Y'know, if I do add in an OC or two, I'll be sure to let you know. ;) And as always, ENJOY!~

* * *

A young boy ran, his legs moving faster than they ever had before. Amethyst eyes were shut as if their owner was holding back tears; whether they were of pain or hurt, not even he knew. He'd never run so fast, but then again, he'd never been so scared before. He didn't think he'd ever be able to run so fast again; he would in a few years. _How do I know all of this?_ you might be asking.

The answer is simple, really; that boy is me. My name is Yugi Akihiko Moto, and the scene I am describing to you is from when I was 14. Of course, that was years ago...

Anyway, as I said before, I had never run so fast in my life. Normally, I felt safe when I ran; it was my escape from the world of expectations my parents had shoved me into and the world of bullying my school had given to me. Usually, I felt calm when I ran, but not that day. Not on the day when the bullies actually gave chase. I could usually run faster than them; everyone knew it. But I had injured my ankle the previous day, and the closer I got to home, the more obvious it became.

I remember one of them finally catching up to me when I slowed down, and I remember being tackled onto the ground. My clothes were wet and dirty after coming in contact with the muddy ground. I was pulled behind a house, and they yelled at me, kicked me, hit me. I can remember their words to this very day.

"Faggot!" one had yelled. He punched me in the stomach, and I wanted to double over, to groan, SOMETHING! But that would only cause them to continue, thus causing me more pain.

"Whore," one whispered in my ear as I was slammed against the wall. I didn't see how I could be one of those if I was still a virgin, but I did not comment. That would have made the beating worse. They kept insulting and kicking me.

"You worthless son of a bitch," someone said. The voice was familiar, and while I was in too much pain to put a name to the voice, I knew they weren't after me.

The bullies scattered, clearly scared out of their minds, and I saw black hair and angry blue eyes just a few feet away from me. "Amaterasu!" I exclaimed on relief. My sister was the only one I had ever met who could scare the bullies enough for them to run off, which they had just done after a single glare from my sister.

She ran to me, and we smiled at one another as she helped me up. "Hey, baby brother. You okay?" she asked. After a pointed look from me, she chuckled and ran a hand through her hair, a sign that she knew it was a stupid question. "Right, of course not. What I meant was can you walk?"

"Of course I can walk, 'Rasu. They've been so mean that I couldn't walk before. Besides, after a fell to the ground, they only kicked me," I answered as we started walking. "Thanks for looking for me," I added a few minutes later as we reached our street.

Amaterasu bumped into me with her hip, and I smiled. "I'll always look for you, Yugi. You're my baby brother. Besides, mom thought you were avoiding showing her your grades. I told her I'd look for you and drag you home if you were doing so," she said.

* * *

School as a freshman was simple. Well, when you were someone like me.. While others got bullied, and yelled at for no reason, Atem Aknam Sennen was put up on a pedestal. One that he certainly didn't like all that much.. Only one person treated me the way I wanted to be treated, and that guy had been my best bud for who knows how long. I lost track after the first few years. We were little when we met though. Fifteen doesn't really count as little anymore.

While kids wanted to be my friend for other reasons, Joey just wanted someone he could relate to. Someone that would actually tolerate his bull crap long enough to get to know the messy blonde behind all the rubble. Of course, with an abusive father like myself, and an adopted sibling that acted like your exact opposite, we were really alike. However, where Serenity – his sister – was a sweet and loving young lady, Seto was... Well.. He was Seto Kaiba – my adopted sibling that had an ego bigger than the largest ocean. He talked down to everyone, but he was always there when I needed him. Though, after dealing with my father for a week, he took to moving to my uncle's house, refusing to be talked down to like a 'dirty dog' as he called it.

Kids at school drooled over me, tried to be friends with me, and even attempted to do my homework for me... Which was weird. Stop it. That was my life as a fifteen year old though. And it wasn't just fangirls. It was fanboys too! All of them worshiping the ground I walked on like I was the pope or something. All because I was 'rich'.

Wealthy. Rich. Happy... Words always used to describe my family. On camera, sure, we were all three of those. At home... We were two. Growing up in this family had its advantages, you got whatever you wanted, never needed anything because you always had everything. However, with strong advantages, came crushing disadvantages...

My father was an alcoholic. Giving himself time to sober up before a big meeting, or a press conference, only to be drunk as soon as it was over and he was sure everyone was gone. His image was perfect business man, at least to the public eye. In my eyes, he was a drunken bastard that beat his son like a drum.

Some children run to their mother when things go bad.. The glance I throw towards her shows that there won't be any solace in her arms. She's hyped up on whatever she got a hold of today. Who knows what's in that needle? Whatever it is has at least knocked her out for the night, so I won't have to worry about her coming after me later.

I go to my room, hoping to find some way to ease the pain so I can sleep for school in the morning. I lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling. Yami. That name was sounding more and more like me. Joey, my best friend, and the only one that ever truly got the real me. He knew that Atem was annoying to me, I was just so sick of hearing it.. So, he'd given me a nickname, even a nickname of a nickname. 'Yams', he called me. But, seeing the smile given with the name, it made me smile too.

'Smiling wasn't something that I'd done much as of late' I think to myself, turning over on my side. What is there to smile about though? Living in this house, nothing was happy..

But... Maybe I didn't have to live in this house...

My eyes widen as a thought occurs to me. After all the beatings I'd received, who would be dumb enough to stick around? Why would I, when I have everything I need to live on my own?!

With the thought fresh in mind, I pack my things. Only the necessities, throwing them in a bag that isn't my school bag. I was done being used like a punching bag. I was done pretending to be happy, smiling that fake smile for the cameras. They'd miss me while I was gone, but I wasn't coming back. I didn't need anyone. I slipped silently out my window, being on first floor had been a personal request, the bushes underneath said window had not. I let out a hiss as I make contact with the rose bushes. My mother's personal favorite. Without thinking, I ran. I ran like I'd never ran before. No one saw me, and no one would know anything about it. Atem Sennen was gone, for good. Yami, however, had only begun...

* * *

Kitty: So that was the Prologue! Don't you just love authors when they do this to you?

Yugi: What are you doing to them, Kitty?

Kitty: Oh, you know. I'm just giving them a story where I have to rely on a friend to update every other chapter. You never know how reliable they are! I love you, though, Nickey!

Nickey: Well, I love you too, Kitty! And no worries, as soon as I get moved, and we get internet back, I will be very much reliable! :D

Yami: *grumbling* WHY AM I STILL WEARING THIS!

Nickey: You look adorkable! OwO

Kitty: Oh! Nickey, did you get the picture of him in it? It's so gonna go viral! And we need to make a video of him doing ballet in gym class. Ooh! That could be a chapter!

Nickey: Ohh! Good reminder! *pulls out camera* Yami! I GOT A NEW CAMERA!

Yami: WHY ARE YOU IGNORING THAT SHE WANTS ME IN A TUTU IN THE STORY?!

Nickey: OH. MY. RA! Best idea ever! :D

Yami: You guys are jerks T-T

Nickey: Stop being a whine baby, SMILE!

Yami: GET AWAY FROM ME! *runs away*

Nickey: *chases after* GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!

Yugi: Well, that's all, guys! Kitty's about to join this fight, so we don't want any blood shed! Audios, amigos!

Nickey: Au revoir!

Kitty: Tener un día precioso , mis queridos lectores! (Have a good day, my lovely readers; Spanish) Read, relax, review, and rest if need be, but enjoy the time it takes us to post Chapter 1 up!

Yami: T-T And all those goodbye things...


	2. Chapter 1: Secrets Found

Kitty: Hey, guys!

Nickey: CIAO!

Yugi: Konnichiwa, readers! *waves*

Nickey: Get in here!

Yami: No. I look stupid.

Nickey: * shoves Yami out * Now, say hello

Yami: Hola... -_-'

Kitty: OH MY GOD! NINI I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU GOT HIM TO AGREE TO WEAR THE TUTU AGAIN!

Yami: Yeah... Agreed...

Nickey: Doesn't he look fantastic, Kitty? :D

Yami: * grumbles *

Nickey: What was that?

Yami: Nothing.

Yugi: Aren't you and Yami related...?

Me: But of course, Yugi! Why else would I find such joy in torturing him?

Nickey: * holds up fingers * Cuz it's fun? What is better than doing so? You can make him do whatever you want? I dunno, there's lots of reasons to find joy in it XD

Me: Hm... That's a very good point, NiNi. Anyway! This chapter is Yugi's. Unless NiNi or I tell you otherwise, Yugi's chapters will always be the ODD chapters (based on our listing, not FFN's) and Yami's will always be the EVEN chapters.

Nickey: Yes, so this is chapter 1, the previous chapter was only a prologue.

Yami: It was listed in the beginning! And Kitty just covered that!

Me: Shut up, brother or I will smack you so hard across the face, you'll be seeing stars for a week.

Yami: ...

Yugi: Oh. My. Ra. You actually got him to shut up...? You, Kitty, are a miracle worker. And with an empty threat, too?

Nickey: About as empty as that unopened jam jar over there... She's hit him before, he knows good and well that that is NOT an empty threat..

Yugi: *speechless*

Me: Anyway! On with the disclaimer! Yugi, would you do the honors of beginning it? And remember; one. Word. At. A. Time.

Yugi: Kitty

Yami: And

Nickey: I

Kitty: Do

Yugi: Not

Yami: Own

Nickey: Yu-Gi-Oh!

Kitty: Or

Yugi: Yu-Gi-Oh!'s

Yami: Characters

Nickey: We

Kitty: Will

Yugi: Tell

Yami: You

Nickey: What

Kitty: We

Yugi: Do

Yami: Own

Nickey: When

Kitty: It

Yugi: Comes

Yami: Time

Nickey: For

Kitty: It.

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 1

Secrets Found

"Bye, onee-chan!" I called to my sister as I put my shoes on. I was about to head to a new private school my mom had spent a lot of money for me to go to. We had just moved to Domino, North Carolina because my dad had decided to move his company's main headquarters here to be closer to an old friend of his. Amaterasu, having graduated the previous year, would not be going to school with me and would be going to Tennessee in a few months to start school at Vanderbilt University, so in a few months, I wouldn't have my sister and protector by my side.

Amaterasu came running into the room to give me a hug and a few words of encouragement before I left. "Alright, Yugi. I'll be there to pick you up around 4:30. if something comes up, you are to send me a text and let me know you won't be waiting for me. I expect you to make a few friends," she said as her arms created a warm cocoon around me. "Don't tell them your sexuality. It is none of their business." She pulled away with a hand on my cheek as I leaned into the loving touch.

I finally decided to see what my sister was wearing and smiled. She was wearing a blue dress that was slightly lighter than her dark blue eyes and stopped right above her knees. Her hair was brushed and in its naturally wavy state, and she wore a light pink lipstick. She was becoming more and more like the girl she had been when I was in seventh grade, before we had to worry about bullies so much...

"You look nice, 'Rasu," I said before I left. I hadn't been talking to my sister as much as I used to since we moved; she was going to be in Tennessee while I was in North Carolina. I didn't like that we'd be so far, and I had started pushing her out of my life. I still loved her, but I also felt betrayed by her...

"I love you, ototo," I heard her say before the door closed. I hitched my backpack up higher on my back and walked down the driveway of our relatively large house as I put my earbuds in and shuffled my playlist. The song that ended up playing was _Diary_ by Alicia Keys, and I listened to it.

It wasn't long before I arrived at school, and _Hold Me Now_ by Red was playing. I leaned against the fence and started playing my favorite game: Millennial Kingdom. It was an online game based off of the popular card game called Duel Monsters. The point of the game was to try and become the most powerful user and hold your place as emperor. When you were beat by someone, you went back to status as a peasant and lost all your things but kept your levels. You had to complete quests to get back to the top and eventually defeat the current emperor. I was almost ready to fight the emperor.

"Are you Yugi Moto?" someone asked. I glanced up and nodded, turning down my phone's volume as I listened to what the kid had to say as I continued playing. "My name is Ryou Shoals, and I'm on the Domino Academy welcome committee. Once my friend – the head of the committee – gets here we can show you around if you'd like."

"Yes!" I shouted suddenly, jumping with joy as I leveled up after beating someone with my _Kuriboh_. "Sorry," I said to the boy, who looked startled, as I logged off. "But, yes, if you wouldn't mind showing me around, that would be great. I'm obviously new here."

The boy smiled at me, and I gave him my own small smile. He was attractive, in a feminine sort of way, with long white hair and soft, doe brown eyes. His skin was pale, and I suddenly thought of Snow White. His skin was as white as snow. He had a kind aura surrounding him, and I would not have been shocked if birds flew towards and befriended him. "It's nice to meet you, Yugi," he said.

I smiled. "I agree. It is nice to meet you," I said. "Now, can I ask you a question?" Ryou nodded, and I smiled. "Why are the school uniforms so thin and ugly? I mean, can't they give us something _comfortable_ to wear when it's this cold out?" I asked. Ryou laughed, but I was 100% serious. The uniform was made of a thin blue material that allowed the cold through, and even though the school allowed us to make additions to and change the uniform a little, it was uncomfortable. The blue jacket didn't help shield me against the cold I felt through the thin white t-shirt I was forced to wear. The blue pants might as well not have been there, and the white tennis shoes weren't as comfortable as my usual leather boots. The only changes my parents had allowed me to make to the uniform were the leather collar that rested on my neck and the two belts that hung loosely around my waist.

Ryou laughed. "We've all been asking that same question for years, Yugi. No one has found out why yet. My friend Malik is actually probably in the office trying to convince them to change the uniform since everyone's freezing."

I nodded before asking another question. "Who made this school? It's beautiful." The school was huge. A concrete road led from the gate to the entrance of the school, with a gravel path leading to a small garden on the main building's left. I could see three buildings besides the main building.

"Yeah, it's beautiful until you have to walk a mile to get to your classes," Ryou said. He looked at the school briefly before looking back at me. "But my father paid for it to be made, and he hired the same people who built our house to build it. I can't tell you the name of the company, though, because I don't know it..."

I smiled and nodded. "It's alright. I can see why my mom paid for me to come here..." I said, muttering the last part to myself.

"My father firmly believes that the best education should only go to those who can afford it. That's why Domino Academy gives the best education in North Carolina. Most of the people who come here, though, are jerks. No one likes most of them," Ryou said.

I nodded as someone called Ryou's name and he turned towards the main building. "It's about time you got here, Malik! I had to come greet the new kid without you," Ryou exclaimed as he smacked a blonde boy upside the head when he got to us.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, Ryou. It won't happen again, I promise," the blonde boy said with his eyes closed before he looked to me with them open. He, too, was attractive, although it wasn't in the same feminine way as Ryou. Where Ryou looked delicate, it was obvious this "Malik" could take care of himself. He had long blonde hair that seemed as if he had spent at least ten minutes brushing it due to its silky appearance, and I found myself resisting the urge to brush my fingers through it just to feel the silky quality. His eyes were a lilac color, and he lined them with eyeliner for some reason. Maybe it was something to do with his culture. His skin held a deep tan that complimented the sandy blondness of his hair, and his eyes held that sense of adventure that only a fool could dislike. "Hey, Yugi," he said to me as if we had been friends forever.

"Malik!" Ryou scolded. How did this guy know my name? It wasn't like I had ever met him before... Had I? I mentally looked through everyone I ever remembered meeting and decided that I had never met this kid before in my life.

"What?" Malik asked, seemingly oblivious to how creepy he was being. "What did I do wrong?"

Ryou rolled his eyes; apparently, this was normal for the blonde's behavior. "You're creeping Yugi out. You're supposed to ask for his name and _then_ greet him with his name. Otherwise, you just look like a stalker whose been watching him for awhile. We know that isn't true, so don't make him feel that way," he answered.

Malik turned to look at me and sighed. "Sorry; I didn't mean to creep you out or anything. I'm not exactly used to human interaction with anyone but Ryou here and my older sister, so... y'know..." he said. "No one else has ever actually complained when I came up to them and greeted them by their first name without asking for it... They usually assume I'm on the welcome committee, which I'm actually head of, so you know... I kinda have access to the student files and look at the new student's files every time we get one..."

 _So does that mean..._ I began to wonder before Malik continued. "Your family history is really cool. The owner of Moto Corporations and a singer? That's really cool," he said, holding his hand out. I shook it to be polite and nodded in agreement, although I was secretly dreading him knowing that my family was wealthy. "It's really cool, honestly. My only living relative is my older sister, Ishizu, and she just gives tours at the Domino Museum. Needless to say, we don't have much money," Malik added.

I looked at his outfit and smiled. It was obvious that he didn't have much money; his clothes were dirty and torn. I took in his changes to the school uniform: instead of the white shirt, he wore a purple one, skinny jeans in place of the pants, and a pair of boots in place of the tennis shoes. He looked really good in the outfit. "Well, you look really good for someone with very little money," I muttered.

Malik waved me off. "Thanks, but I only have clothes this nice because Ishizu likes to try and keep our financial struggles a secret from me. It's kind of obvious, though, since we live in a rundown apartment and she works all the time," he said. "She insists that everything is fine, though, and that she has it under control, so there isn't much I can do about it, you know?"

I nodded, although I really didn't know. My family had never struggled financially, since mom's CD's alone brought in enough money for us and dad's company brought in even more money. Needless to say, my family was loaded, a secret I had hoped to keep since I didn't want people to make their opinion of me based on my parents' money. I did know the feeling of being unable to do something, though; I felt that way all the time. "Yeah, I suppose I do understand in some ways," I muttered, to myself more than to him.

Malik nodded. "Well, come on! We still have to show you around the school, and the damned day starts in an hour! We might barely make it, if at all," he said suddenly.

"Huh?" I asked, confused. "If we have an hour, don't we have plenty of time for the tour...?"

Ryou laughed a little. "No, we really don't. You have no clue how large this school is. What you can see from here is only a fraction of the whole school. We've got dorms, restaurants, cafes, dance rooms, multiple gardens, sports fields. You name it, and chances are, we havhatwo or three of it," he explained.

"Oh..." I said.

* * *

And, true to their word, we had just finished the tour when the bell rang to tell the students that they had ten minutes to get to class. Malik and I had the same first period, so I hoped I wouldn't get lost before we got to class. "Thanks again for showing me around," I said with a smile. "I really appreciate it. I'd have gotten lost otherwise."

Malik laughed and waved my thanks off as if it was nothing. "Don't worry about it, Yugi. It's my job to help the new kids find their way around the school," he said.

I smiled. "Um... Can I ask why you seem so passionate about this role? I don't mean to offend you or anything, but I just wondered... _Why_?" I asked as we got nearer to the classroom. It seemed like Malik and Ryou had intentionally ended the tour as close to my first class as possible, so we weren't far from the classroom, according to Malik.

He smiled. "Well, I told you I come from a super broke family this morning, right? So you're probably wondering how I got into such an expensive school. I'm actually here on scholarship, and I want nothing more than to make her proud. She always wanted me to do well in school and end up with a better paying job than she has, so I tried my damned hardest to get here. I succeeded one day, and that was the first time I had seen Ishizu as relaxed as she was that night... I didn't have anyone to welcome me on my first day, so I was completely lost. I decided that no one else needed to go through that and requested to start a welcome committee and become head of it. The only catch was that I couldn't miss or be late to any of my classes if I did this. Then, Ryou's father thought this would be a good way for his son to get involved with the school, so that's how he and I met," he said with a smile.

"That's cool," I said as we walked. We entered the classroom, and I scanned the room for a place to sit as Malik took a seat in a seemingly random place by the window.

"What are you looking for?" he asked me, his eyes narrowed in what must have been confusion. I told him I was looking for somewhere to sit, and he rolled his eyes. "Come sit over here by me, Yugi. No one else ever sits by me; I think it has something to do with the fact that I have less money than the rest of them and because I'm gay," he said.

I looked at him, shocked. "You're gay?" I asked in awe. How could someone admit something like that to someone they barely know? Anyone else would have been trying to hide that!

"Yes," Malik said before narrowing his eyes. "Is that an issue?" he asked.

I felt a dangerous vibe coming off the teen and rushed to answer. "N-no! Not at all! I was just shocked; that's it!" I half shouted, and Malik laughed, causing me to join in on the infectious action as we talked to each other and got to know each other. By the time the teacher came into the class, I knew that Malik was Egyptian – thus the tan he had – and Ryou was born and raised in Britain but had to move here when his dad got a good job offer. Malik's favorite game was Millennial Kingdom – just like mine. We laughed when we found this out. It was, after all, a very popular game made by the creator of Duel Monsters himself: Maximillion Pegasus. Malik knew that my favorite Duel Monster was the Dark Magician, and we agreed to play against each other sometime.

Once the teacher entered, she had me stand up and introduce myself to the class before she began a lesson on Calculus that I had already learned in my last school. She ended up calling me out after catching me daydreaming and not paying attention, and I ended up answering the question – and showing my work – flawlessly. After that class ended, I was on my way gym, where Ryou and I would be together and meet Malik at lunch. "Bye, Malik," I said when the bell rang. Malik waved at me before running off, leaving me to find my class on my own.

* * *

When I finally got to gym in second period, I noticed a guy who had hair similar to my own. Of course, there were a few minor differences. Both of us had black as a base, but while mine was tipped in amethyst to match my eyes, his was tipped in a ruby red the same color as his eyes. All of my blonde bangs hung down around my face, but he had three or four of his running up through his hair in a fashion similar to the bolts of lightning I saw the previous night during that thunderstorm. His skin was pale like mine, but his facial features had more of a sharp and threatening appearance than my round ones. His eyes were slanted in an eternal glare, and he was smirking at something someone had said.

"Who is that?" I asked Ryou, motioning to the teen. He didn't seem to notice that I was staring at him as he was so caught up in conversation with the blonde whose back was towards Ryou and me.

"That's Atem Sennen, but he's more commonly called Yami. No one knows why or even what it means, but some say that the last time someone called him Atem, the kid was found at the top of a water tower the next day. This was before I started paying attention to anything, though, so I don't know if the rumors are true or not," Ryou whispered to me as we changed into our gym clothes. They consisted of a pair blue gym shorts and a white shirt with DA on the left side of the chest, right above the heart.

"Darkness," I muttered under my breath. When Ryou looked at me confused, I clarified. "Yami. It's Japanese for 'darkness'. I don't know why anyone would want to call him that, though," I muttered.

"It suits him," Ryou said as we looked at him. "I've never seen him smile, and I've been here longer than him. He started coming here halfway through last year. He was already friends with Joey Wheeler – the kid he's talking to – and I've heard tons of rumors about why he's here. They range from him being a runaway to him being kicked out. No one here cares how he got here, though; they only care that he's hot."

I smiled at Ryou before briefly wondering why he was being so nice to me. Did it have to do with my family? Surely not; they would have already told people about who I really am if that was the case, right? "That's interesting. I learned a long time ago not to believe rumors unless they're confirmed by the person they're about," I replied as the gym teacher called us into the gym. Yami seemed to lock eyes with me briefly, but before I could respond, he had looked away and started talking to Joey Wheeler. My smile didn't leave my face until I saw that we were playing dodge ball... _Good luck, Yugi. Your going to get the crap hit out of you_ , I thought to myself.

* * *

Kitty: *yawn* Ugh! You people have no clue how long and painful it was to write such a long chapter...

Yami: Sis, did you hear about the girl who tried to steal that poem you and Makayla worked hours writing?

Kitty: Oh, yeah! I so~ did. Let's just say she'll not be at school anytime soon... or in one piece... or alive... or -

Nickey: Kitty, sweetie, as much as I love to hear you, what's this gotta do with the story?

Kitty: Easy; the same thing that happened to her will happen to anyone else who steals my poetry. *glares* Don't even consider it. By showing you most of these poems, I'm letting you know bits and pieces of the story of me. Got it?

Yugi: Um... I'd just like to point out that Kitty didn't actually kill anyone for stealing her poems but she did make them admit to it and give it back to her. This was way back when she was in high school, though, so you should be good.

Nickey: Kitty may not have, but I would... Don't be stealing Kitty's poetry, I will hunt you down. I punched a dog in the mouth, I have no mercy.

Kitty: I still can't believe you did that!

Yami: You almost did the same thing to that kitten...

Kitty: That's not my fault. The creature - no matter how adorable - had been whining for 30 minutes, 'Ami! It wasn't my fault!

Yugi: Is that the kitten your little sister claimed as her own...?

Kitty: Yes. And the same one that peed on my brother's hand.

Yugi: Yami's hand? He let you get away with that?!

Kitty: *sarcastically* Oh, yeah, totally. That's why Yami's been complaining for hours about how the cat bit him instead of peeing on his hand. No, our little brat of a brother.

Yami: Yeah, little freakin rascal kicked me in the groin for stealing candy!

Kitty: Oh! I forgot to tell you about that one, NiNi! Corey's been taking karate, so right before I moved out, Yami took a piece of his candy. Corey didn't like that and used one of the moves he learned to kick him in the groin! I have pictures of Yami's face and crap! *shows pictures to Nickey and Yugi*

Nickey: Yami!?

Yami: What?

Nickey: Did it hurt?

Yami: YES IT HURT! BAKA!

Nickey: * smirks * I didn't feel a thing...

Yami: Fk you, Nickey... =3=

Nickey: * puts on sunglasses * deal wit' it.

Yugi: I can't believe he actually looks like he's bowing down to Corey!

Yami: Aibou, you're supposed to love me, not be mean to me!

Yugi: Oh, Yami baby, I love you with my heart and soul. That's why I must comment on these pictures because the readers can't see them!

Yami: * grumbles * really feeling the love...

Kitty: *giggling* Well, guys; that's all for now. Audios amigos!

Yugi: Sayonara, guys!

Nickey: CIAO!

Yami: And all those goodbye things! Bye guys!

Nickey: And gals! :D


	3. Chapter 2: Warnings Issued

Kitty: I'm running out of ways to say hello... *sighs* Dammit!

Yugi: Kitty! Innocent ears!

Kitty: Yugi, who's ears are innocent? You're far from innocent, what with Yami constantly trying to rape you in front of the camera...

Nickey: First off, you need to stop that... Secondly... I dunno, I lost my train of thought...

Yami: Wouldn't be the first time that train got de-railed... Also, what I do in the bedroom is none of your concern...

Nickey: Actually, considering how we write these things, it is kinda our concern...

Kitty: And NiNi and I are fan girls. It doesn't get much less innocent than that.

Nickey: True story.

Kitty: Anyway. I don't know what all we need to do...

Nickey: Embarrass Yami, talk about the chapter, embarrass Yami, do the disclaimer, and did I mention to embarrass Yami?

Yami: So uh... I'm still in this damn tutu... That's become a thing...

Kitty: OH MY GOD! Yugi, tell me you didn't play in the bedroom in that!

Yugi: I didn't. No telling what he did with that thing on though...

Yami: Well... Aibou... You remember all the naughty things we did last night? *smirks* I looked reeeaaal pretty while doing it..

Kitty: *pales* Um... I'm gonna go puke... That's my sister's tutu for ballet...

Nickey: Yami... That's just going too far... Now... Now the tutu happens in the story... And none of the intercourse will come from it...

Kitty: Yugi... Do the disclaimer while I go to the bathroom. NiNi, come on... *grabs Nickey's arm and drags her to the bathroom, where I puke*

Nickey: *rubs circles on her back while looking at the ceiling* There, there, Kitty.. Just... don't picture it...-w- *sigh* this will be a long day...

* * *

The Abused and The Bullied

Chapter 2

Warnings Issued

"'Ey! Yami!"

I turn my head to see a familiar Brooklyn blonde running at me. Joey wasn't the brightest of the bunch, nor the wealthiest, but he was by far my best friend. We didn't really hide anything from each other and even on the rainiest of days he kept me afloat. "Hey Joey" I greeted as he reached me, bending down to put his hands on his knees.

"You... walk.. too fast" he panted.

"I told you not to stop for food" I chuckled, continuing on my way.

"An' I told you, I was hungry."

"Well, I wasn't. So I didn't stop" I lied through my teeth. In all honesty, I was a little hungry, and some breakfast wouldn't hurt. Unfortunately I didn't have the cash for food, that's why I worked at a place that sold food.

"Well I-"

"'Scuse me!" Someone yelled, toppling Joey to the ground on their way through. "Sorry, Wheeler! I'm in a hurry! Ryou is gonna kill me!" His frantic screams faded as he continued sprinting down the hallway.

I recognized the blonde as the kid with the welcoming committee. Where was he going in such a hurry? "Jeesh, no respect aroun' here, I tell ya" Joey complained, picking himself up off the ground.

"He did say excuse me" I reminded.

"An' you're not helpin'!"

I chuckled as he began his rant, walking towards the lockers to put my stuff away. "And we have gym for second period, so I hope you didn't over-stuff yourself, Mr. Wheeler" I reminded him, poking him in the chest.

Joey turned a couple shades paler as a smirk crossed my face. "Wipe dat damn smirk off your face, Yams. You know I always eat a lot.."

"I told you not to stop~."

"Shaddup!"

"Admit it. I was right an-"

"I miss the old you a lot more!"

"You'd be lost without the new me though."

"I could do without the smart remarks" he snorted.

"I'm still the same me, Joe."

"Nah, you don't smile. EVER."

"What's there to be so happy about?"

"You kidding me? Your life is great! Your dad runs a huge business, and your mom does that other thing she does. Yami, you could have whatever you wanted."

I looked away from him and started walking to class. I hadn't told anyone that I had run away from home, and was currently living in a shitty, run-down apartment with one room and a bathroom. I paid for everything myself with two part time jobs. Burger World didn't pay well enough to only have it, so on the weekends I worked from open to close at the local pet store. No one knew that though. I'd heard the rumors everyone had spread, and I couldn't find it in me to care. Joey would always yell at them and say that I had no reason to run away, so why would I?

Why would I? What could I possibly gain from running away? What would be so bad, that Atem Sennen would cease to exist in this world, and Yami would take his place?

I sat down on the wooden bleachers, waiting for Joey to get out of the changing room. The ceiling seemed to be my target as I took up staring at it, thinking about everything that'd taken place. I hid the bruises with a hoodie, my new best friend. I had to wear make up to cover the black eye that had ended everything. I had one bruise on my leg, but I just told everyone it was from a fight. Everyone believed that, and it wasn't really a lie. I'd been away from home for a while now, but some of the bruises still remained.

The perfect life that Atem lived. Beatings from his father, abuse from his mother. Physically exhausted, mentally unstable, emotionally dead; those are the things used to describe Atem. And that's why Yami was needed. That's why I would run away from home. Those are the things I had to escape. There was no perfect living, it was a perfect hell! A hell I was sick of, and so I got away from it.

But again, no one knew that.

"Earth to Yami" I heard Joey calling, drawing my attention from ceiling. "Jeeze man, ya gotta stay off cloud ten."

"It's cloud nine, Joey. And I was nowhere near it."

"Well, ya certainly looked like ya were" he stood in front of me, staring while waiting on the others. "Ya gonna tell me what you were thinking about?"

I smirked as I watched his eyes shine with curiosity "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Kinda why I asked" he pouted.

"Well I'm not gonna tell ya."

"Rude."

I felt as if someone were staring at me, my eyes darted past Joey to see Ryou standing there with a boy I'd never seen before. His hair was a lot like mine used to be, spiked up around his head, purple tips instead of red, and his bangs only framed his face, he didn't have any that went back into his hair. His eyes were rounded, a sparkling amethyst, and full of child-like wonder. He seemed like the kind of kid that had his whole life together, but was too clumsy to tie his own shoe laces. I looked away before he caught me staring, Yami wasn't one to check out people.

He seemed like a happy guy though, I noted as I saw his smile never waver. What kind of life did you have to live to smile the way he does? I could barely hide my chuckle when his smile fell with the news that we were playing dodgeball. He didn't look like he was all too thrilled with that.

The rest of the day went on and I figured out that aside from gym I had lunch, math, and science with this kid. His name was Yugi, or so Joey said, I had yet to hear that from him. Joey apparently had a couple classes with him as well. Science was the last class of the day before I had to take off and go to work. A fact that didn't really thrill me at all.

I threw my bag beside the table, sitting my phone on said table and laying my book down next to it. The new kid walked in and the teacher pointed him in my direction. He looked timid, and maybe a little nervous? Maybe. He walked back to his seat and stood next to it, raising a hand in a sort of wave. I looked at him and blinked. What was this kid up to?

"H-Hi. I'm Yugi."

"Yami" I responded. He didn't sit down and looked like he wanted to talk more, but I figured I'd save him the embarrassment. "You gonna sit down, or just stand all class period?" Giggles broke out across the room. So much for saving him the embarrassment, I forgot I went to school with a bunch of children.

He sat in his seat, sitting his things out in front of him. I quietly observed him, still wondering what his problem was. Maybe he was shy? Did he hear about the kid that woke up on top of the water tower? Really that kid was just on my nerves, and needed to be dealt with. Maybe he heard other rumors. Well, now he probably thought I was just another bully, because I just got him laughed at.

Before I had time to wonder about anything else my phone lit up. I unlocked it to see a picture of Joey in math class. He was making a weird face and the text said 'this guy is boooriiiing'. The teacher's back was to me, not that it mattered, I could get away with murder in this school. I turned around so he was in my shot, crossed my eyes and took the picture. 'Yeah, same here'.

I looked over Yugi's shoulder as I felt the tension get thicker. He was getting the evil eye from a few students, and it seemed an awful lot like more eyes were on him than there were on me (that was a rare occasion). I leaned over to him as he sat there, unaware of the rising danger that surrounded him. "Y'know" I whispered, earning his attention "if looks could kill, you'd be dead."

He didn't seem to catch on at first but I leaned back and flicked my eyes towards the two girls that sat to his right. We were at the back of the class, so he didn't really have much to worry about behind him, but the two girls to the right looked like they were ready to rip him apart. He gulped, and who wouldn't, we're guys, we can't fight girls. We could, but that would ruin our reputation. Yugi didn't look like he could beat up much, and I would've bet my savings that he had someone that took care of him.

My phone lit up again, a blue light going off to let me know that I had another message. A picture was attached, so I looked at it. A girl with long blonde hair was sitting there, a couple seats from Joey, paying attention in class, while he played around. The text read 'at least I have something to look forward to' and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Yugi's hand went to his mouth to contain his laughter, I looked over and caught him looking at my phone screen. I couldn't help but smile as I shook my head. "He's an idiot," I whispered.

I went back to typing to him, snapping a secret picture of the boy beside me with a text reading 'that makes two of us.' I went back to taking notes as we were supposed to be, only for a message to come back through reading 'Is that the shrimp from earlier?' Only Joey knew that I preferred guys over girls. Less drama, and lower expectations from my part. He himself was bi, and didn't really have a preference, except the oh-so-popular Mai Valentine that was currently sitting in his class.

I continued writing until I was all caught up, I didn't have time to stay after school, I had to get to work. I was not going to be fired over science notes. I snapped a picture of my leg and typed 'yep' before getting back to work. I really didn't have time for much more homework tonight either. I had to work late and cover for one of the other workers tonight. Not that I minded, it got me more money, but at the same time, it ruined my schedule.

The bell rang and I stood up, putting all my stuff in my bag. I only had two more questions on the worksheet, so it wouldn't keep me up too late. I walked out the door to be met by Joey who came sprinting around the corner after me. "What a bore" he groaned.

"Joey, we're in the middle of the school year, you should be used to this schedule by now."

"I am, it's just.. It's still boring."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head at the blonde. As we reached the doors a small blur ran past us, our eyes widening as we looked at each other and looked after said blur. Unfortunately the new kid didn't know about the bullies around here. His face met the concrete, hard. I winced out of pity for the kid, but why were they picking on him? Yugi didn't seem like the kind of person that went looking for trouble. I didn't hear any commotion from him, and I just had our last class together. So what happened when I left?

I looked to Joe and went walking forward, knowing he would have my back if I needed it. Yugi was thrown to the ground on his back, barely able to recover as I stepped down the stairs. "Faggot," I heard one of the boys say, and that was it.

I stepped forward, one step away from Yugi's back. Yugi chuckled a bit as he looked over his shoulder "Thanks Ama-" his words seemed to die in his throat as his eyes widened, a few of the tears spilling over. He definitely wasn't expecting me to be there, that much was certain. My eyes were homed in on the group of three that had decided to target the innocent new kid.

"I dunno what the hell happened, or why you guys are messing with him, but back off" I warned.

"What are you gonna do about it, Sennen? Or maybe I should call you Ate-"

Unfortunately he was unable to finish his sentence without eating his own teeth. "I warned you, now you've pissed me off" I growled, grabbing hold of the other's throat. "This time, I won't be so nice."

His buddy behind me attempted to jump in, only to be snatched up and put in the same position by Joey. "No one touches my boy, so long as I got 'is back."

"Thanks. What do you think, Joey?"

"Two heads are better than one?"

"I was just thinking the same thing" I smirked, turning together and slamming the two boys' heads together. "Now, don't make me tell you guys again. Leave. Yugi. Alone. Or Joey and I will beat you to a pulp."

I turned around to look at Yugi. He still had some tears on his face, his nose was bloody and his cheek was a little scraped up. "Yugi!" I heard a girl yell, shoes clicking across the concrete.

I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and gave it to him. "Dry your eyes, and wipe your nose. Don't let them see your tears, it'll only get you bullied that much more. When your done, stand up and brush yourself off. Walk away tall, and don't let them see you hurt." It came out as an order, and more than a little harsh. But, he would have to do it, if he wanted to survive school around here. It may be a boarding school, but it was harsh. Bullies would beat you senseless, that's why you had to be the bigger bully, or at least have a friend that could back you up. "I'm leaving, Joey. I have somewhere to be."

"Alright. Bye, Yami."

I threw my hand up, waving goodbye as I put my bag back over my shoulder. I had many things to do, but I had to make sure to get to work first. I heard Yugi say thank you and I simply waved it off. I didn't want him to feel indebted to me. In all honesty, I'd been wanting to punch that kid for a while now, that just gave me the perfect opportunity.

* * *

Kitty: So how was that for my brother's entrance into the story? He kicked ass for his beloved Yugi!

Yugi: K-Kitty!

Kitty: What...?

Yugi: Don't! It's embarrassing!

Kitty: Oh... Sorry...?

Yugi: *rolls eyes* It's fine.

Kitty: Where'd NiNi and Yami go...?

Yugi: Oh! Well, after you left, Yami started trying to have sex... NiNi is probably making good on her threat...

Kitty: *sigh* That idiot will never learn, will he?

Yugi: *shrugs* I don't know. He's your older brother. You tell me.

Kitty: Touché, my friend, touché. *lightbulb flickers on above my head* Oh~! Wanna make him jealous?

Yugi: Tell me more! *leans forward*

Kitty: Well... Here's what we'll do before they get back next chapter. *whispers in Yugi's ear*

Yugi: *smiles* I like it... But we'll be putting you in danger...

Kitty: Nah; mama decided to kick him out if he tried to hurt me again and we all know Joey would just laugh at him...

Yugi: *chuckles* True.

Kitty: Did you ever do the disclaimer?

Yugi: *shakes head* Nah, but I think they get the point by now...

Kitty: *shrugs* True...

Kitty and Yugi: BYE!


	4. Chapter 3: New Friends and Protectors

Chapter 3

Kitty: Hey, guys! So NiNi and I got so~ confused. We just wanted to clarify that Yami and Yugi are juniors. We weren't sure if we confused you guys, too, so we agreed to clarify that.

Yugi: Kitty! Nickey and Yami are coming!

Kitty: Well, quick, Yugi! Hide your face in my neck!

Yugi: *pushes Kitty against wall, hides face in her neck*

Kitty: *makes pleasures noises*

Nickey: Did you hear that?

Yami: *busts in the room* What the hell?!

Yugi: *jumps away from me* Y-Yami! It's not what it looks like!

Yami: *walks towards Kitty & Yugi* It LOOKS like you're-

Nickey: *covers mouth to hide laughter* pfff

Kitty: Who cares? Obviously Yugi likes me better.

Yami: *turns and glares at Kitty* YOU shouldn't be doing this, you're my sister!

Kitty: *shrugs* Who cares? What are you gonna do? Send me to the Shadow Realm? You'll be out of a home if that happens.

Yami: I'll go to Joey's...

Kitty: No, you won't. He'll just laugh his ass off at you.

Yami: Why?

Nickey: *busts out laughing*

Yami: WHAT IS SO FUNNY?

Nickey: We pranked you big time! *falls over laughing*

Yami: *turns to inspect Kitty & Yugi, who are trying not to laugh* What is going on?

Kitty: We wanted to see how easily you get jealous! It worked~!

Yami: *grumbles and walks away*

Nickey: Enjoy the chapter! Hahahaha!

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 3

New Friends and Protectors

After science, which was my last class, ended, I rushed out of the room, and I somehow ended up being one of the first out despite my small height. Of course, that little head start didn't last long before I bumped into someone. Looking up, I panicked. Ryou had pointed a couple of kids out to me as the school's bullies earlier that day, and I had run straight into a group of them. Shit, I thought to myself.

"H-hello..." I said, cursing the stutter in my voice. Where was Amaterasu when I really needed her? Oh, right. She was probably on her way to the school right now since it was a ten minute drive to get here. I missed going to school with her; this never would have happened if she hadn't been born two years before me.

"Hey, I saw you talking to those two faggots today. What've you gotta say for yourself?" one of them demanded.

"I'm sorry..." I muttered. "But I have no clue who you're talking about. I have spoken to more than just two people today. Perhaps if you're a little more specific, I'll be able to answer that question. And only one of those people I was talking to was gay. Are you sure you're speaking to the correct person, sir?"

The kid punched me in the stomach and I groaned as I doubled over in pain. "Watch it, fag lover. If you cross the wrong people, you'll end up getting yourself hurt," he said.

"I am not a lover of gay people," I hissed. "I would be quite the hypocrite if I hated them," I added in a murmur under my breath.

To this day, I am unsure whether I said that louder than I had intended to, but as soon as I said that, one of the bullies gasped. "Y'know why he doesn't hate them?" the bully asked before smirking. "He is one."

"Crap," I muttered before turning around and running towards the front of the school. I was scared; I was hoping I wouldn't have had to deal with bullies on my first day, but I was wrong.

As soon as I got outside, I ran down the steps to the concrete road that led to the gate that I had come in earlier, but I tripped over my feet and fell down on the concrete. I clenched my eyes shut as I got up with a few tears staining my cheeks, hoping the beating would be over soon after they caught me. I would be incapable of running faster than them at that point just because of the fall. They would be nearing me and too close for me to run from. I was begging whatever gods existed that Amaterasu would arrive earlier than she had planned, but I knew better than to get my hopes up on that.

The bullies picked me up before throwing me into the ground on my back, and I felt my head hit the concrete. The tears were coming faster now, but I couldn't have stopped them even if I had tried. I gasped for breath and barely caught it before the word "faggot" came out of their leader's mouth.

A shadow fell over me, and I let out a relieved chuckle. "Thanks, Ama-" I began as I turned to look over my shoulder. To my shock, it wasn't my sister standing there but that kid I sat next to in science with the weird friend - the same kid from gym class.

"I dunno what the hell happened or why you guys are messing with him, but back off," he practically growled. I searched my mind for his name and finally remembered it: Yami.

Before I could respond to him and say that he didn't have to defend me, one if the bullies spoke up and made Yami clearly mad. "What are you gonna do about it, Sennen? Or maybe I should call you Ate-"

Yami didn't give him the chance to finish, but I had a feeling the bully was about to call him by his first name as Yami spoke. "I warned you. Now you've pissed me off," he growled. His hand was suddenly around the male's throat. "This time, I won't be so nice," he whispered in a deadly tone.

I looked over my shoulder and noticed another of the bullies about to attack Yami, but that blonde kid - Joey, my mind supplied - grabbed him in the same type of hold as Yami had the other bully in. "No one touches my boy, so long as I got 'is back," he said.

"Thanks. What do you think, Joey?" Yami asked his friend; by the way they talked and were texting during class, I had to assume that they were best friends and had been for a while.

"Two heads are better than one?" Joey answered as if he were asking Yami if they were going to do something based on that statement.

I was confused for a second before Yami smirked. "I was just thinking the same thing," he agreed before turning towards Joey. They smacked the boys' heads together before Yami dropped them carelessly onto the ground. "Now, don't make me tell you guys again. Leave. Yugi. Alone. Or Joey and I will beat you to a pulp."

As the bullies ran off, Yami looked at me, and I suddenly became aware of the tears that were still sliding down my face. I was unsure what my face looked like, but I didn't think anything good. "Yugi!" I heard my cousin's familiar voice call out in a panic. I realized that, with me being on the ground and Yami towering above me with that ever present smirk, it probably looked Iike he was trying to pick on me. I heard her heels clicking on the concrete and rolled my eyes, already recognizing them as her heeled boots.

Yami pulled a piece of cloth out of his pocket and handed it to me. "Dry your eyes, and wipe your nose. Don't let them see your tears, it'll only get you bullied that much more. When you're done, stand up and brush yourself off. Walk away tall, and don't let them see you hurt," he ordered me. Shocked, I did as he said while he turned to Joey. "I'm leaving, Joey. I have somewhere to be," he said.

"Alright. Bye, Yami," Joey said as Yami walked off. I called a thanks as Yami waved at his friend, but I looked away before he could give a verbal response. He didn't seem to be much of a talker, something I had noticed in science when he didn't say anything to me after he responded to my laugh at Joey's text.

"Are ya friends with Yami?" Joey asked. "I mean, Yams and I have been friends forevah, but I've nevah met ya and all. Does Yams have a twin brother he nevah told me 'bout?" he said in a heavy Brooklyn accent.

I laughed a little but shook my head. "Nah, I don't think you could consider us friends, and I think my mom would have a heart attack if we were related to someone who can beat up people as easily as you guys. My sister, too. We have science together, though... I had to sit by him, so... It was kinda awkward at first," I said.

Joey chuckled a bit. "Well, that's Yams for ya. He'll only say a few things in a conversation and then ditch ya halfway through. It's difficult ta get 'im ta actually talk for a bit. Usually ya just gotta bring up that game Millennial Kingdom," he said.

I smiled. "That's my favorite game," I commented. "Anyway, I should get going. My cousin sounds like she's having a panic attack right now. It was nice talking to you; maybe we can do it again sometime," I said before running off.

I smiled as I saw my cousin searching frantically around for me. "Hey, Mai," I said as I ran up to her. "Long time no see."

"Yugi! Oh, thank God you're alright! I was worried sick when 'Rasu said you were supposed to meet her ten minutes ago at the gates!" she exclaimed, pulling me into a hug.

"Yeah... A couple of bullies somehow found out about you-know-what and tried beating me up," I replied with a sheepish smile as I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Tried?" someone asked from behind me, and I immediately recognized it to be Amaterasu. "What do you mean tried?" she demanded.

I smiled as I pulled away from Mai and hugged my sister. "Yeah, some kid from my science class scared them half to death..." I said as we hugged each other. "And... I'm sorry about how I've been treating you as of late, 'Rasu... I just don't want you abandoning me," I said.

She pulled me closer and smiled. "I know, Yugi. And I was talking to mama... We agreed that I should take an online course for at least a little while. We just moved to be closer to Uncle Jason, and I don't want to miss out on fun family times," she replied.

I gasped and hugged her even tighter. "I'm glad..." I whispered to her.

"Well, huns, as sweet as this is and all, I want to know who protected you from those bullies so I can properly thank them," Mai said.

I laughed a little before pulling away from my sister. "Well... Do you know a Joey Wheeler?" I asked.

Mai tapped her chin in thought. "I believe there is one that sits near me in my last class. Why?" she asked.

"He and Yami Sennen scared the shit out of those bullies," I said.

"Seriously? Yami took care of the bullies for you...?" Mai asked in seeming disbelief.

"Yes, why is that so shocking, Mai Valentine?" I asked, slightly offended.

"Hun, Yami has never in his nine months at this school helped anyone besides himself and Joey Wheeler. He never smiles and never seems to care. It's like he was off in his own world..." Mai said. "It's not that I don't think you deserve his help; I don't think he deserves to help you."

I rolled my eyes. "Mai, what if he wants to change? Maybe he's sick of being uncaring." Normally, I wouldn't have been so defensive of someone I barely knew, but he couldn't have been that bad if he saved me. Right...?

"Yugi, I highly doubt he has any will to change. This is Yami Sennen, the same kid who trapped someone on a water tower for calling him Atem," Mai said.

I sighed before looking around. "Whatever. 'Rasu and I need to get home. I have a ton of homework already, and mom said that we're having guests over for dinner, so I need to be finished by then," I said before I grabbed my sister's wrist and walked off.

"Alright. Bye," Mai said. I heard her heels tapping on concrete and sighed, knowing that she would be going to her boyfriend's house for the night.

I turned to Amaterasu and smiled. "So I made a couple of new friends today," I told her as we walked to her convertible.

Amaterasu grinned. "That's great, Yugi. Tell me about them," she said.

"Well, their names are Malik and Ryou. Ryou's dad paid for the school to be built, so Ryou goes there, and Malik says he's broke but got into the school on scholarship. Malik says he's gay, too, but I wanted to ask you if you think I should tell him I'm also gay before I decided to tell him," I said.

"Well," Amaterasu said. "Malik doesn't know you're gay yet, right?" I shook my head as I opened my door. "Well, he couldn't be dragging you into a trap then. I think it should be safe for you to tell him," she said.

I smiled as Amaterasu started the car. "How was your day, 'Rasu?" I asked her as she seemed to be a little annoyed.

"It was fine for the most part. Father decided he wouldn't be coming home tonight, again. Even though he promised me that he would," she said.

I sighed. Our father seemed to be doing that a lot more since we moved here. He would tell my sister he'd be coming home and then deciding at the last minute to stay at his friend's house. Even before we moved, we rarely ever saw him. "Of course he did," I said.

We both loved our dad; he was a kind-hearted man who did whatever he could to support his family and keep us safe. That wasn't the problem; the problem was that he was always at work. Being the owner and president of a company wasn't an ideal job for a husband and father of two, but he made it work for the most part.

"He's taking us out on Sunday for ice cream, by the way. I told him I'd see if you had any plans and let him know if we should reschedule to Saturday or next weekend," Amaterasu said as she started driving.

"No, I don't have any plans," I said. We changed the topic of conversation after that and ended up talking about that conversation until we got home. "I'm doing my homework. Tell mom to let me know when our guest gets here," I said.

I went up to my room, and a half hour later, my mom called me down. I had gotten halfway through my math homework by that point, so I called down to her that I would be right down and changed out of my school uniform.

"Hey, mom," I said as I came down the stairs. She took one look at me, smiled, rolled her eyes, and greeted me.

"You and your leather fetish," she said. I smiled and looked down at my outfit in mock surprise. I was wearing a white, sleeveless shirt made of leather and a pair of black leather pants as well as my favorite leather boots.

"Do you not like?" I asked her.

She laughed and pulled me into a hug. "Well, my wonderful son, I don't dislike it," she said. She chuckled again and grabbed a few plates. "Do you mind setting the table with me?"

I shook my head and smiled at her. "Not at all," I said. We grabbed plates, bowls, forks, and spoons and walked into the dining room, where we had a table large enough to seat ten people, and set the plates at the seats that would be used by us and the guests.

"Your sister will bring the food out when our guest gets here," mom said before pulling me into a hug. I smiled and looked up at her. People often said I looked like her; I had her black hair tipped in purple with blonde bangs, but she combed hers over her black hair. Our eyes were both amethyst purple, although hers were slightly darker than mine, something few people noticed, and our facial features were both soft and welcoming. The only thing I didn't get from her was my pale skin, which came from my father's side of the family.

"Who's coming over?" I asked quietly.

"A childhood friend of mine. She and I were best friends when we were younger, and she still lives here. She decided to come over for dinner when I asked," mom answered as the doorbell rang. "She has two twin daughters about your age; the girls names are Nickey and Kitty. They are sweet young girls, apparently, and I hope you'll treat them with the respect you'll be treating their mother."

I smiled. "As long as they don't try to flirt with me, we'll be fine as friends," I said.

"Of course," mom said. "Now, go answer the door like the young gentleman you are."

I laughed and ran to open the door, grabbing a jean jacket off the hook and putting it on before I opened the door. "Hello," I smiled, motioning for the three girls standing there to come in. "My name is Yugi Moto, prince of the Moto Household and heir to almost everything here," I said with a sweep of the arm. "No, I'm just kidding. My sister will probably get the 50% that doesn't go to me, and I'm really not a prince at all. Please, come in," I said.

They walked in, and one of the girls smiled. "Hi, I'm Kitty," she said. The first thing I noticed was her pink eyes and the way her hair flowed down her back in effortless curls. It was a silvery color, almost like Ryou's even if his was a little whiter, and she seemed to have spent a little while doing her hair as it framed her face perfectly - even with her glasses - and had that same silky quality that Malik's had. "My mom has told us so much about your mom," she said as she wrapped an arm around my shoulder. Normally, I would have flinched away from such contact, but Kitty had a similar air around her as my sister: that of a mother or sister who would die to protect those she cared about.

The other girl looked at me and nodded her head with a simple "Nickey" in greeting. I took in her cyan tipped hair, which covered her ears, although I could vaguely see an ear piercing or two behind the curtain of hair. One of her eyes was red, the other blue. I had no doubt in my mind that at least one was a contact lens. I got the feeling she wouldn't say much the entire night.

"Don't worry about NiNi," Kitty said. "She's just really quiet."

I nodded. "It's okay. I have no interest in ever forcing someone to speak if they don't want to," I replied. "The dining area is this way. There are three seats with plates beside them that won't be used. One is on my mom's left and the other two are on either side of the seat I'll be sitting in. You're more than welcome to take any seat, but I think my mom intended for you to sit with her Miss..."

"Elaine," the woman said before I could ask her name. "And she and I talked about it already. Nickey and Kitty will sit on either side of you, and I will sit beside your mother."

I smiled. "Well come on!" I said and laughed.

As we walked, I could tell Kitty was excited for something, and I asked what had her so excited. She smiled. "This place is amazing!" she said. "It's just gorgeous. NiNi, were in the house of a rich person!"

Nickey chuckled and shook her head. "Okay," she said.

I smiled at them. "You know, you're more than welcome to come over anytime just as long as you call first. Sometimes Father has business meetings, so we can't have any unexpected visitors in our house at those times," I said.

Kitty smiled. "That's awesome," she said before thinking for a moment. "Where do you go to school...? We live just a few streets away and you're zoned for the same school as us, so why didn't I see you today...?"

I smiled. "I go to Domino Preparatory Academy," I replied. "The kids there are pretty nice for the most part. I love it."

Elaine smiled at me. "Would you advise me sending my girls there?" she asked. "I wouldn't be wasting 5,000 a year, would I?"

I shook my head. "Nah, it's a really good school if my first day says anything about that. I highly advise sending your children there, Miss Elaine," I said.

By the time dinner was over, I had made a new friend or two. I was unsure since Nickey seemed to not like to talk and didn't say much to anyone but Kitty all night. Mom had been reunited with her friend and invited them over for dinner the next weekend, and Miss Elaine, who insisted I call her Elaine, had decided to send her girls to Domino Preparatory Academy.

When the night ended, I undressed and changed into my pajamas before going to bed with - for the first time in a while - a small smile resting upon my lips.

* * *

Yugi: You really put you and Nickey in here?

Kitty: Yes. Yes, I did. And I have no shame in it!

Nickey: I think it's a fun idea.. This just means that the intro and outro won't be the only place Yami gets tortured...

Yami: Oh joy -_-

Nickey: Aside from that, I've never added myself in a story XD so this is new...

Yami: Really?

Nickey: Yeah. What do you guys think? And lets be chill about it..

Kitty: I'd just like to say that you can flame my stories all you want, but if you suddenly start calling me a bad person or insulting my poetry, I'll set Nickey on you.

Nickey: And hell hath no wrath like my fury...

Yami: And I'll be more than glad to join in on that..

Nickey: Glad to see we agree.. For once..

Yami: Don't get used to it..

Yugi: Anyway. I don't think I need to do the disclaimer again, do I?

Kitty: Nah. Oh! And updates will be every four days to a week. If something comes up, hopefully one of us will have the chapter we were working on finished.

Yugi: Okay. I think that's everything.

Kitty: NiNi, do you have anything to add?

Nickey: Well, Kitty. You didn't tell them about our characters, so I will. Nickey and Kitty belong to us. Kitty was designed by herself, and Nickey by me. That makes them our OC's. Do not steal!

Kitty and Yugi: BYE BYE!

Nickey and Yami: CIAO!

Yugi: You really put you and Nickey in here?

Kitty: Yes. Yes, I did. And I have no shame in it!

Nickey: I think it's a fun idea.. This just means that the intro and outro won't be the only place Yami gets tortured...

Yami: Oh joy -_-

Nickey: Aside from that, I've never added myself in a story XD so this is new...

Yami: Really?

Nickey: Yeah. What do you guys think? And lets be chill about it..

Kitty: I'd just like to say that you can flame my stories all you want, but if you suddenly start calling me a bad person or insulting my poetry, I'll set Nickey on you.

Nickey: And hell hath no wrath like my fury...

Yami: And I'll be more than glad to join in on that..

Nickey: Glad to see we agree.. For once..

Yami: Don't get used to it..

Yugi: Anyway. I don't think I need to do the disclaimer again, do I?

Kitty: Nah. Oh! And updates will be every four days to a week. If something comes up, hopefully one of us will have the chapter we were working on finished.

Yugi: Okay. I think that's everything.

Kitty: NiNi, do you have anything to add?

Nickey: Well, Kitty. You didn't tell them about our characters, so I will. Nickey and Kitty belong to us. Kitty was designed by herself, and Nickey by me. That makes them our OC's. Do not steal!

Kitty and Yugi: BYE BYE!

Nickey and Yami: CIAO!


	5. Chapter 4: Hard Times and New Kids

**Nickey: H** **ey guys and gals. I know it's weird for me to start off a chapter-**

 **Yami: Where's Kitty? And Yugi?**

 **Nickey: I'll get to that.. Anyway, I made up a few excuses and (with Yugi's help) told Kitty she needed to go practice for something for choir... Warm up her voice, y'know... It's lovely ^^ Aside from that though-**

 **Yami: So, you lied...?**

 **Nickey: Jeesh, do you ever shut up? Do you _want_ to wear the tutu again?**

 **Yami: No...**

 **Nickey: Then shut up! Anyway! Kitty would've apologized a million and five times for not updating Wednesday when she was supposed to... and then apologized more for the whole weekend incident (which we'll address at the end) So, instead, I decided to send her to a fake class and tell her about it later.. I hope you forgive us for our forgetfulness as life sometimes gets in the way of our fun time of updating.. We'll try to keep better track of the days of the week! :)**

 **Yami: From the sounds of it, you guys had a hell of a week...**

 **Nickey: You could definitely say that... But, I won't get into all that... Kitty will join us for the outro, and until then, we hope you enjoy the chapter!**

 **Yami: Enjoy~!**

 **The Abused and The Bullied**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Hard Times and New Kids**

Work had been a bore. Not that it was ever fun, but when sixteen people yell at you for giving out the wrong order only to later find out it was their fault and no one apologizes, it makes it just a bit more irritating. The boss had admitted it was his mistake, not that that was really an apology.. But yeah, it was his fault. It's a good thing I worked in the back, I'd seen a lot of kids from school come in, luckily they don't get a chance to see me. I stay hidden.

The pet store, well.. That's a different story. But we don't have a uniform at the pet store, so I can always just pretend like I'm shopping for my dog, Rex. Yeah, I'd made up an imaginary animal. Quite a few of them actually. Most of the school now thinks I have a dog named Rex, a hamster named Milo, a ferret named Chewy, and cat named Biscuit. Ninety percent of those names came from things you can buy at said pet store. But, I go to school with a lot of idiots, apparently.

I groan as I slowly make my way home, having changed out of my work uniform in the bathroom. I now strutted around in a tight, black, long sleeve v-neck, the sleeves pulled up to my elbows, light blue jeans with holes in them, and black leather boots. I ran a hand back through my combed back hair, a warm shower would do me some good right about now.. Or a cold one, because the hot water probably still wasn't fixed all the way.

I couldn't bring myself to care. It was ten at night and I still had homework to get done. I had to keep my grades up so I could keep my job, so I could prove that I could make it without them.. I didn't need anyone, I was taking care of myself just fine. My glare reaches no one but the concrete. My head starts to hurt as memories come flooding back, unwelcome by my tired mind.

I stop in the middle of the sidewalk as water drops to my hand. Was I-? I put my hand to my face, only for another droplet to land on my nose. Of course I'm not crying. Why would cry over them? The only people that I had expected to always be there. Just goes to show, nothing is forever. Those beatings certainly weren't going to be.

I unlocked my door, opening it to the small room I lived in. "I'm home" I say to no one. "Home sweet home" I mumble to myself, walking over and placing my bag on the floor. I walked over to the bathroom, turning on the light and looking at my reflection. I was soaked from the rain, my combed back hair laying flat against my head, hanging in my face. I looked tired, worn out, just the typical look for someone like me..

Someone who had nothing left to lose.

The shower was lukewarm, and not as relaxing as I would've liked it. After I was dressed in my shorts and a tank top I went into the living room/bedroom/kitchen to sit in the corner by the counter and do my homework. The kitchen connected with the living room, cut off by a counter that went across the floor, leaving a doorway space big enough for one person to get through. One lamp lit the whole room, and the only actual light was in the bathroom.

By the time I was done with homework it was midnight. Not because I had a bunch, or it was hard, but because I kept drifting off while reading. I barely made it to my pillow before I crashed, exhaustion was a hard thing to fight. I fell into a blissful sleep once my head made contact with the feathery pillow.

ABD

Noises were heard. I sat up, looking around. My apartment door was open. I remember locking it before I went to bed. I stood up slowly, looking around the small apartment. I slept in the far right corner, so everything was in plain sight. It was just the matter of my eyes adjusting to the darkness. They usually adjusted by now though, but I couldn't see anything that wasn't directly in front of me. A dish hit the floor, the sound of breaking glass sounding through the small room. "Who's there?" I called, letting my uninvited guest know I was awake, and aware of their presence.

No answer.

Footsteps clicked through the room, they were wearing boots of some kind, or another type of heavy shoe. My eyes shifted side to side, struggling to see something, anything. But there was nothing. Nothing but darkness. I closed my eyes and listened, just like I would when I was little. My hearing had become better from doing so. Shuffling, they were dragging their feet. Big mistake. I kicked out my foot in the direction of the noise, a hand catching my leg and tossing me aside. Whoever was in here, was strong. But I wouldn't back down, this was my house. I ran forward tackling the both of us against the wall. The fist fight didn't last long when a hard right hook caught me right in the jaw. I shook my head, attempting to clear my vision, just in time to see the intruder jump on me. A silver blade was held above me as they straddled my hips, pinning my arms to my sides. The blade came down quickly-

I shot up in bed, sweat pouring down my face and eyes wide as I gasped for air. A frantic look around my apartment revealed it'd just been a dream. I jumped up, kicking my blankets off in the process as I turned on the lamp, doing a quick scan of the room.

"Just a dream" I whispered, slowly backing into the corner. "Just a dream, Yami..." I slid slowly down the wall, still unable to breathe properly. Tears filled my eyes as I squeezed them close. "It was just a dream.. Just..." The tears fell. I didn't try to stop them. I felt like I was losing my mind. Everything was moving and I couldn't handle it. I tripped and stumbled, making my way quickly to the bathroom where I shoved my head over the toilet. I threw up, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I needed help.. But I didn't have anyone. It was four in the morning, if I called Joey his dad would hear his phone and he'd get in trouble..

That left me with no one.

I would've called my brother, but Seto works which means he'd be asleep too.. I didn't want to bother anyone, so I chose to lay on the bathroom floor. It was cool, which felt good. I was tired, but found I couldn't fall back asleep. I felt like my chest was unable to move. Breathing was like a chore, and it hurt.

I lay there until sunlight filled the room. I was numb. My eyes were focused on the wall between the sink and the toilet, vision blurry as the tiles faded together. The alarm on my phone went off, alerting me it being time to get ready for school. I blinked, clearing away the fog. Getting up proved to be a slow and difficult task. Every movement would make my head throb, and that would turn into a dizzy mess that left me unable to move.

I was like a zombie getting ready, and looked even worse. I ran a comb through my hair, putting gel in it so it would remain out of my face, my bangs slid down, falling to the sides. I was pretty sure it didn't matter how I looked, people would still worship the ground I walked on. I was "Yami Sennen, the hot guy" and "Yami Sennen, the oh-so-amazing" and whatever else the school could come up with. I threw my homework in my bag, and slung it over my shoulder, heading out the door. I locked my door and threw my keys in my pocket, my work outfit in my bag. I met Joey at the tracks, he was standing there waiting for me, waving a friendly arm. As I got closer his joyful expression turned to one of concern.

"Yam, you okay?"

"I'm alright. Just, running on four hours of sleep, that's all" I sort-of lied. I was only running on four hours of sleep, but my chest still hurt from earlier, my breathing was still kind of labored, and I couldn't stop shaking. The nightmare had won.

He stared at me, he didn't seem to be buying my lie. "C'mon, let's go get some caffeine."

"Joey, I don't want caffeine. I just want to go to school, and get this day over with. Pl-"

"Yami." I looked at him with the tone he used, he'd gotten stern, and currently standing over me, looking at me like a young child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "C'mon. I'm your best pal, man. I know when something isn't right with you. You look like someone just pulled a knife on you."

"Pretty close to what happened" I muttered. Unfortunately he seemed to have heard it.

"Yams. Talk ta me. What happened?"

"It was just a nightmare, Joey. That's all."

"Musta been one hella nightmare. You're pale as a ghost, Yam'. You've got bags unda yer eyes, and no offense, Yam, but... You look like hell..."

"No. I know what I look like, Joe. I promise. I know. But really, I just wanna go to school, and get this day over with. Alright?"

"Alright, bud" he sighed, placing a hand on my shoulder. "But I'm here if ya wanna talk."

"I know, Joe. I know."

We walked the rest of the way in a peaceful conversation that consisted of Joey's day yesterday after I left him. His arms went up to cross behind his head, eyes to the sky as he recalled everything he did. I smiled, something I hadn't done in a while. But, being next to Joey after this morning's events, it felt good to talk to him, and listen to him talk about his day.

"An' then I-" His thoughts stopped as he caught sight of the smile "'Ey. Yami. Yer... Yer smilin'!"

I chuckled, my eyes remaining forward "I guess after everything that happened, I'm just content to listen to you." My eyes shifted in his direction "I'm really glad to have you around, Joe.. Thanks.. For staying with me..."

The grin he flashed showed all of his teeth, which made my smile grow as well. "'ey, yer my bud. I'd never leave ya behind. Though if anyone were to be left behind, it'd be me, not you.."

"You're my best friend, Joey. I'd never leave you either. You're more of a brother to me than my own brother."

"Right. Seto. Forgot all about him. Y'know, he still calls me a dog every time he sees me.."

"He's never not going to call you a dog. He sees how much it bothers you, and finds joy in doing it."

Joey grumbled as we continued, my smile dropping a peg or two as we continued to walk, returning back to it's normal state, a frown on my face as I got lost in thought. We arrived at the school and headed up the steps, walking towards the front doors.

"Sennen" I heard from a female's voice. Turning around I found that it was the girl Joey had sent me a picture of. "I need a word with you."

I looked around before looking back at her, pointing a finger at myself "Me?"

"You're the only one with the last name of Sennen, correct?"

"I guess so."

"You're kind of a dunce this morning, huh?"

"'Ey!" Joey tried to interrupt. I put my arm out, looking in his direction.

"It's okay. Go on ahead. Make sure Yugi makes it to class after yesterday's events."

His eyes widened slightly, remembering yesterday's events. He nodded his head and took off, probably to find the smaller one. I stepped back down the stairs to the ground where the blonde stood. "You called?"

"Don't try to act cool right now. Cut the crap, Sennen, and tell me what you think you're doing."

Confusion was pretty clear on my face, my brows furrowed before I raised one, my eyes looking around. "Um.. Going to class? Gym to be precise.. Though I feel like that's not what you're talking about now that I say it and your facial reaction to my response... So.. What is it that you're talking about?"

"My cousin. Yugi. What are you doing? I heard what you did. You don't stand up for anyone" she narrowed her eyes, leaning forward and pushing a finger into my chest. "So just what do you think you're doing."

"I was saving a kid from being bullied-"

"By being a bully yourself-"

"I saved your cousin from a beating that would've left him crippled! You should be thanking me."

"And just what made you want to jump in that fight?! Huh? Do tell."

I thought back to the events. In all honesty, I didn't know why I jumped in.. He had called Yugi a faggot though, and I couldn't allow that. On top of that, Yugi seemed like an innocent person.. I couldn't just let them beat him up on his first day there. There wasn't a deeper reasoning behind it... Right?

I was apparently taking too long as she waved her hand in front of my face to get my attention. "You gonna answer?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I just... Yugi looks so small and helpless... I didn't want them to beat him up on his first day..."

"That's it?"

I looked around for a minute before meeting her eyes. "I mean.. Yeah. I guess.."

"You guess?"

"Don't you have to get to class?"

"I've got my eyes on you, Sennen. If you hurt my little cousin, I will personally beat you to a pulp."

She started up the stairs, her skirt swaying with her hips as she stormed away. "That's some way to thank someone who saved your cousin's ass" I grumbled.

She stopped on the stairs, turning her head to look back at me. "Thank you, and your friend. I appreciate you two protecting him." Her voice lowered as her head turned downwards "Yugi doesn't have many friends. He relies on his sister and I." She turned her body back towards me, fists at her side "So if you hurt him, hell hath no wrath like a pissed off woman."

"You're a junior..." I reminded her, my expression going blank as my eyelids lowered.

"You want to see the title of this book up close?"

"Nope, looks great from this distance."

"Then don't back talk me."

"Alright, you have a great day."

"I'll be watching, Sennen."

"You said that already.."

She shot me a glare, which I quickly looked away from, glancing towards the parking lot. I looked back at her to see a smile spread across her face, which I happily returned. I held up my hands in mock surrender "I understand... um..."

"Mai. Mai Valentine."

"Mai. I understand."

"Good. Thank you."

The smile didn't leave as she continued forward. I stood there watching. Almost everyone was inside now, but my eyes went to the sky. Until I heard the clicking of shoes. "C'mon Ni-chan, we're going to be late!"

"Kitty, we're not going to be late. And you left the welcoming committee behind."

"Oh they were taking too long to get us to class."

I turned to see two girls, one with silver hair, pink eyes, and huge grin on her face. The other had black hair, tipped with cyan, pulled into a ponytail with bangs in her eyes. One was red and one was blue, she didn't seem as cheerful as the other. As they ran up the steps I noticed that neither of them were wearing skirts like the other girls. The silver haired one had on dark skinny jeans with knee high, black, leather boots with a low heel.

The other one was wearing an outfit that didn't even look like a school uniform. Her jeans were a light blue, faded, hugging her legs and flaring out at the bottom to cover up what looked like boots with heels on them. Her jacket, which was supposed to be pink, was white. Which had me baffled. The shirt underneath was black, and about the only thing that was the same was the blue bow around her neck, which was tied into a tie, and not a bow. She didn't seem like she cared either. Piercings were in her ears, and she didn't really fit the part of student, at least, not one from here..

I shrugged my shoulders as the two disappeared, the first one talking away while the second one just seemed to walk along behind her at a leisurely pace. I continued inside, heading for gym where I found Joey, giving me a thumbs up to show that Yugi had made it safely. I nodded as I passed him, heading into the changing rooms to get changed for gym. Today was going to be a long day.. I felt that much.. And, it looked like Yugi wasn't the only new kid in town. Now we had two girls heading in. I had the feeling that I wouldn't have to defend either of them though, the cyan haired girl gave off a vibe that said she'd punch anyone in the neck if they messed with the silver haired girl.

 **Nickey: Well, that was something..**

 **Yami: I'll say it was... Ignored as always...**

 **Yugi: So... Kitty went missing this weekend, apparently...**

 **Nickey: Well, you see, Yugi... Kitty got into an accident...**

 **Yami: A MINOR accident, Miss Over-Protective!**

 **Nickey: I don't care how minor it was, she was away from me for far too long, and in the hospital... That means that she's no longer allowed to leave me...**

 **Yugi: Um... Is that why she's in bubble wrap...?**

 **Kitty: Yes, actually, yes, it is. It's really uncomfortable.**

 **Nickey: She's just not allowed out of that unless she needs to eat..**

 **Yami: What about the whole bathroom situation?**

 **Nickey: She'll be okay.. THIS IS ALL OUT OF LOVE, KITTY!**

 **Kitty: Oh, I feel the love! *smiles* But um... Yeah... I gotta PEE!**

 **Yugi: Wait... What's going on...? Am I missing something...?**

 **Yami: I think your 'love' is cutting off her circulation... Possibly her airways...**

 **Nickey: It's okay... I'll resuscitate her...**

 **Yami: * sweatdrops * I feel like that's not solving the problem...**

 **Nickey: * punches Yami * Shut up! As long as she's with me, she's safe...**

 **Yugi: *looks at Nickey's hand* Uh... Why are you holding a knife...?**

 **Yami: Umm... That's a machete... Not a knife...**

 **Kitty: Why are you holding a machete, NiNi? We've been over this. It. Was. An. Accident. The other person got out of it worse than me!**

 **Nickey: Well.. You see, Kitty... No one gets away with hurting my Kitty... Or M.. I like M... But I don't let anyone harm my Kitty...**

 **Kitty: And what exactly are you going to do with that machete?**

 **Nickey: Let's just say... They're not going to have a very happy Halloween... But I am... I'm going to have tons of fun.. Yami? Care to join me? I've got two!**

 **Yami: * grabs other machete * Ohhhh yeaahhh~**

 **Kitty: *as Nickey and Yami leave* YUGI STOP YOUR BOYFRIEND AND HIS ACCOMPLICE!**

 **Yugi: *sighs* Bye, guys. I'll see you next chapter. Hopefully Nickey and Yami won't be in jail... *leaves***

 **Kitty: Well, this'll be fun. *sighs* Audios, people. I need to go get NiNi and Yami to stop. Hopefully they'll listen to me. And if there not here next week... Well, you know where they are... *starts to turn off camera* Oh, yeah! Before I forget. Don't worry about me. I have nothing but a bruise on my arm. My friend Makayla got a broken arm, and the drunk driver who hit us has a broken leg, broke both his arms, and is probably being scolded since he was only like 16... So lets hope for the best for M and that guy! :) Bye.**


	6. Chapter 5:Creepy Friends,Confirmed Rumor

Kitty: I fucking hate France.

Yugi: That's one way to say hello...

Kitty: *breathes out* Right, sorry... Camera's rolling. I need to focus on that. *smiles* I don't mean to offend any French readers I might have, but my friends and I are currently in France. The people here - again, no offense - are total ASSHOLES!

Nickey: Calm down, Kitty. You'll be home soon! :D

Yami: *shuffles deck*

Yugi: *sighs* I can only imagine... Actually, I don't have to. I already know! They really are. Dayona beat some dude up for touching her inappropriately.

Kitty: *eyes Yami shuffling his deck**whispers to Yugi* Wanna bet I can beat him...?

Yugi: *whispers back* Nickey gave you the god cards?

Nickey: *Whispers* Totally stole those bitches...

Yugi: *nods* Then, yes, you can beat your brother.

Kitty: Bye guys! Time to duel my brother! *shouts to Yami* I challenge you to a duel!

Yami: *scoffs* You're gonna lose, but okay...

Kitty: We'll see about that... Yugi! Put in the DVD while I get this beating started!

Yugi: *sighs again* Well, bye, guys. At the end, I'll show you a clip of Yami fainting when Kitty summons the god cards.

Nickey: *snickers while poking Yami with a stick*

Yami: Why are you poking me with a stick?

Nickey: It's fun~!

Yami: It's a metal stick!

Nickey: Deal with it!

Yugi: *changes DVD*

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 5

Creepy Friends and Confirmed Rumors

"Alright. Amaterasu, I have to go now! Ryou and Malik wanted to talk to me about something before school starts," I said as I laughed.

My sister chuckled. "Fine. Be mean and walk out the door without even eating breakfast. How polite of you," she teased.

It was a Thursday morning and my second day at Domino Preparatory Academy, and my sister was nagging me about eating breakfast. "Sorry, 'Rasu, but I have to go! Wake me up early tomorrow and I'll have time for breakfast," I said as I grabbed a piece of toast and ran out the door, Amaterasu following.

"Don't run with toast in your mouth, Yugi Moto!" she yelled as I ran out the door. I laughed and continued running, practically seeing her roll her eyes as she muttered under her breath something along the lines of "stupid baby brother".

I ran the mile or so it took to get to school and stopped at the gates, panting with my hands on my knees. "I-I made it..."

"Yugi!" I heard Ryou's gentle voice call. I turned to see him and Malik running towards me, although Malik was clearly interested in reaching me before Ryou as he was about three feet in front of the other. "Are you okay? We heard what happened. Did they hurt you at all...?" the British teen asked as they reached me.

I laughed. "No, they didn't hurt me at all. I just fell a couple of times and scraped my face. They only managed to verbally assault me..."

Malik sighed. "Good. I would have helped you out, but I had to run and was already long gone by the time that happened," he said.

I smiled and waved the apology off. "It's fine. Yami Sennen helped me out a little; he and Joey Wheeler are great fighters. Maybe you could learn something from them and vice versa."

"Yami..." Ryou said, clearly surprised. "As in... Yami from gym class Yami or another Yami that this school knows nothing about...?"

I blinked. "Um... Sennen. The one from gym class? He sits next to me in science last period and I guess I ran past him and Joey while I was running from the bullies. It was scary being so close to them while they fought, but I felt like he wasn't about to hurt me..."

"But... he never does that! He's only ever picked on others! Like that time with the water tower!" Malik exclaimed.

"Why does that seem to be everyone's favorite story?" I asked, exasperated. "First of all, did you see him stick the kid on the water tower? Or are you going based off rumors?"

"Uh... rumors?" Malik seemed to ask. "But it was on the news that a kid was trapped on the water tower and it's something Yami would do..."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, I'm going to ask him in gym if the rumors are true," I said before smiling at them. "What was it you were wanting to talk about? Surely, this wasn't it..."

"Oh, right!" Ryou exclaimed. "Well, the school is hosting a gaming competition for the students and we were wondering if you would join us in the game. Would you?"

I smiled. "I'd love to. When does it take place?" I answered.

"November 25th through November 27th," Malik answered. "It's a big thing for the students because we get out of classes for three days. Ryou convinced his dad to start it freshman year, and they do one each semester. It's a lot of fun..."

"Alright. I'll make sure my sister knows not to plan anything during school for those three days," I said.

Ryou nodded, and we all began walking to our classes. First period went the same as the previous day, with the exception of me going straight to Malik and sitting by him. I decided I would sit by Malik and Ryou at lunch and tell them then that I was gay.

Before second period, Joey ran up to me and started talking to me. "Yo, Yug'!" he shouted, causing me to stop and turn towards him with a smile. "You goin' ta dah gym?" he asked.

I smiled. "I get the feeling you already know the answer to that," I said as we walked.

He rubbed his neck and grinned. "Well... Maybe a bit..." he said. "Anyway, we're goin' ta dah same place. Wanna walk with me?"

I nodded. "I would love to walk with you," I said. "I actually have a question for you..." I said.

"Oh? Well, shoot. I ain't gonna stop ya from askin' your questions. I'll answer 'em if I can, but with someone o' your intelligence, I highly doubt I can answer it if you don't know it..."

I laughed a little. "It has nothing to do with academics..." I said. "And how would you know how smart I am?"

Joey chuckled. "I sit behind ya in history..." he said. "You answered the question no one knew the answer to and the teacher was unsurprised and impressed; that teacher is only impressed by straight-A students."

"Oh," I said with a blush. "I'm just super into ancient history, especially Egypt's..."

"Really?" Joey asked. "'Cause that's where Yams is from."

I smiled and nodded. "But that's not what I want to ask you. Why did you and Yami help me yesterday? I mean, I appreciate it and all, but everyone says this is a first and that Yami is a bad guy. I wanna prove them wrong, but I can't if I don't know why..." I said.

Joey shrugged, his grin faltering for a moment. "I dunno, kid. Ya'd have ta ask Yams. No offense an' all, but I honestly wasn't aftah protectin' ya. I was lookin' after my best bud," he said.

I nodded. "None taken," I said. "So... where are you from? Your accent is pretty cool."

Joey smiled. "I'm from New York. My family moved here when I was 'round eight," he said.

I chuckled. "So you were basically raised here, huh?" I asked. "I was born in Japan but raised in Tennessee..."

"Really? That's cool," Joey said as we neared the gym. "Yams' nickname is Japanese, ain't it? That's what I was goin' fer when I gave it to 'im."

I laughed. "Yeah. Yami is Japanese for 'dark' or 'darkness'. It just depends on the context. In the case of a nickname, it could mean either," I said when we entered the gym. "Anyway, I'll talk to you later, Joey." I walked over to Ryou and smiled. "Hey," I said.

Ryou nodded as we changed into our uniforms. "Are you really going to ask him if the rumors are true? What if he hurts you?" he asked worriedly.

"I highly doubt he will hurt me," I replied. "If he wanted me hurt, he would have let those bullies cripple me yesterday, but he didn't. I trust him, Ryou."

Ryou sighed. "Fine. Just... be careful? If Malik finds out I let you get hurt, he's going to kill me," he said. "And no one can stand up in a fight against Yami. That's why everyone's afraid of him. Well, that and the fact that he could kill someone and no one would bat an eye."

I gasped. "That's awful!" he said. "But I'm going to -" Right as I said that, the gym teacher called for us to leave the locker room and get ready for class to start. "- talk to him about it in science."

"Alright," my friend agreed as we left the gym. "There's some people Malik and I want to introduce you to at lunch. Are you alright with that?"

I nodded before we separated to go to our stretching spots. "That's fine. Are we gonna eat in the same place as yesterday, or do these people drag us somewhere else to eat?"

Ryou laughed. "The same magnolia tree. They tried to drag us to their lunch table one day, but Malik started freaking out when we saw who they sit with," he said.

I nodded and stood in my spot, anxious for lunch.

Lunch came faster than it had the previous day - although that might have been because Joey and I spent our third period history talking - and before I knew it, I was walking towards the garden to eat lunch with my two friends. I smiled as I saw them and stood on Malik's right since everyone else was still standing. Two other people were sitting there - one to Malik's left, almost touching him, and the other standing against the tree behind Ryou.

The one behind Ryou looked deadly. His hair was silver and tied up in a hair tie on the back of his head, and he had a light tan with rusty looking eyes set in a glare. He almost looked like he was ready to murder the next person who spoke to him.

The one beside Malik appeared to be like a crazier, messier version of Malik. He had sandy blonde hair that stuck up in multiple directions and lavender eyes that sparkled with insanity. He had the same tan as Malik and seemed to enjoy touching the latter.

"Uh... hi, guys," I said. "Are these who you were wanting to meet or...?" I started playing with the tuna sandwich Amaterasu had made me for lunch.

Malik chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Hey, Yugi!" he said. "This is Marik and Bakura. But we call Bakura either Kitty or Balura..."

I smiled. That was ironic, seeing as my mom's friend's daughter's name was Kitty. "I'm not a kitty..." the one behind Ryou said, making it obvious that he was Bakura.

I leaned on Malik and smiled. "That's interesting. Why do you call him Balura?" I asked.

Malik laughed at that. "Apparently his cousin was texting Marik and his phone autocorrected to Balura instead of Bakura. It was funny when Marik told us the story, and Kitty hates it," he replied, motioning to the male beside him, Marik.

"Yeah, it was hilarious," Marik said, pulling Malik towards him and kissing him. The kiss only lasted a few seconds before Malik kneed him in the groin. "Ugh! What was that for?"

Malik smirked at the other. "You don't kiss me in public, dumbass. You wanna kiss, you wait until he knows we're together, and then you kiss me, and you still don't kiss me in public unless these three are the only ones around," he replied. He looked at me and his smirk turned to a grin. "And that's why we were still standing, in case you were wondering. Marik wanted to lay his claim on me so you wouldn't try to kiss me or anything."

I laughed. Marik was still holding his area as if his life depended on it. "Well maybe he shouldn't assume I'm going to kiss you. I mean, you're attractive and all, but you're not my type," I said.

Malik stared at me with his head tilted. "Then what is your type...?"

I blushed. "Um... uh... well... my type is... um... hot? And... dominate? And... um... human...?" I stuttered, trying to avoid mentioning I was gay.

Ryou seemed to figure it out, though as he spoke p quietly. "So... you're into hot, dominate, human males?" he asked. "That's cool..."

"What? What makes you say that...? I'm not... Why would you... That's crazy...!" I replied, barely able to get a sentence out.

Ryou smiled. "A straight guy would have just said female and been done with it. You were far too uncomfortable, and you avoided naming a gender," he said.

I sighed. "Okay, fine. I like guys. But you can't tell anybody please! I've been picked on enough for it," I begged.

Marik laughed. "With the way my cousin is protecting you, no bully's ever going to pick on you here," he said.

"Huh?" The only people protecting me were Yami and Joey - Joey more so because of Yami than me. I

Ryou sighed. "Yami and Marik are cousins. Marik and Bakura are fraternal twins. Those two are seniors," he said, motioning to the two behind us as he spoke the last sentence.

"Oh," I said. We started talking, and I noticed around the time lunch ended that Bakura was pretty quiet most of the time and only spoke when Marik got too touchy with Malik. At one point, Yami had come up and given Marik some notes; I wasn't sure if I had imagined it, but he seemed to glare at Marik as he handed them off...

The next class where something interesting happened was science. True to my word, I walked into the class with the intention of asking about the water tower, so as soon as I sat down at my seat, I turned to ask Yami about it, but he wasn't in his seat. I shrugged; I probably just got to class earlier than I had the day before. After all, I knew my way around better than I had the day before.

When Yami came into class, he plopped down into his seat and nodded at me. "Hey," I said. "I have a question for you..." I trailed off as his crimson eyes locked onto mine. I had yet to look directly into his eyes, and they seemed to hold the weight of the world in them. It made me wonder about him, and suddenly I noticed how good he looked. His skin was lightly tanned, and it complimented him in every way. He had replaced the school's uniform shirt with his own black shirt and wore the jacket over his shoulder like a cape.

"Ask away," he said, finally breaking eye contact and digging around his school bag.

"So... this is gonna sound weird, especially if it isn't true," I began with a chuckle. "But I've heard this rumor about you and wanted confirmation on whether or not it's true..."

Yami nodded. "Reasonable. Which rumor do you want me to confirm? They're all true to some degree," he said.

"Um... The one about the water tower... It seems to be everyone's favorite story," I said, pulling myself out of my thoughts.

"Does it sound like something I'd to you?" he asked.

"I haven't known you long... but no, I think you're better than that..." was my answer as I looked back into his crimson eyes so he'd know how serious I was.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, because that's probably the only rumor that was completely true. No one gets to call me by that name anymore, not even Joey," Yami replied.

I nodded. "Ok. I can understand getting aggravated. Usually I just run when I'm upset, but you do that. I'd probably do something like that in a moment of blind anger if I was able," I commented, smiling at him. "I'm not disappointed."

* * *

*Video of Kitty summoning Egyptian god cards*

Kitty: What's wrong, Yami?

Yami: How the hell did you get those?

Kitty: *smiles* Well, why don't you keep better track of them? *casually lays down Slifer as Yami rants*

Yami: They were in my pocket! And constantly guarded!

Kitty: And now I attack with Slifer. I win! *cheers, high fives NiNi*

*Current*

Nickey: WOOOO! *Squeezes Yugi* KITTY WON!

Kitty: Amazing duel, Yami! You put on quite the show for the kids!

Yugi: *laughing* Anyway, we have to go... It's dessert time and Makayla is going to kill us by the looks of it... Bye! *runs away*

Kitty: *still laughing* *waves* *runs*

Nickey: Well, hope you all enjoyed!

Yami: *looks at Nickey* You... You did this, didn't you?

Nickey: And we'll see you next chapter! *Runs away laughing*

Yami: Nickey! GET BACK HERE! You didn't answer my question! *Chases after Nickey*

Nickey: Goodbye everyone!


	7. Chapter 6: Headaches and a Smile

Kitty: Hey, guys! So in one of the chapters, it says Kitty's name is Katerina but she doesn't like it. I'd like to point out that I see nothing wrong with the name but it's an alternate form of my name. I'm not putting my real name online, so don't ask for it.

Nickey: Or I'll beat you to a pulp... *shrugs* meh.

Yugi: And then before we forget, chapter 11 will have a little bit of Téa bashing

because we had to include a scene that shows how much Yami cares about Yugi, and neither Kitty or Nickey felt like creating an OC for that little scene.

Yami: Because we all know they're too lazy... *gets punched by Nickey* OWW!

Kitty: Anyway, there will be a lot of Yami threatening his cousin. It was fun to write!

Nickey: Tons of fun!

Yami: Nickey likes to write threatening things...

Makayla: Yo, hoebag, get your ass down here and eat this bacon!

Kitty: *laughs* Well, that's my cue. Gotta go; mess up my room, Yami, and I will kill your ass.

Yami: Only my ass?

Nickey: *pulls out knife* I'm not picky...

Yami: *gulps*

Kitty: *smiles* Yes, only your ass. Nickey will kill the rest of you while Makayla and I enjoy ourselves at a nice dinner. Nickey do you want some?

Yugi: *rolls eyes; plays DVD with chapter*

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 6

Headaches and a Smile

I hadn't really seen the new girls since they ran into the school. That is, until my third period art class. Turns out the cyan haired one was in my class, along with Ryou, the whitenette from the welcoming committee. It was like a second free period for me, and it didn't involve any homework. Sketch assignments here and there, but nothing that would kill me. The assignments were only once a week, so it wouldn't hurt me too much. I could handle that with my schedule.

The girl took her seat and I noticed that she watched everyone. Her eyes would wander and as she worked she glanced around. It was as if she were studying people... I got back to work drawing the picture I was working on, nothing too hard, and simple enough. It was a free project, meaning we could use whatever we wanted, draw whatever we wanted, etc. The pyramids came up from the sand, the land barren behind it, filled with nothing but sand. I wasn't sure what I was going to use for it yet, but it was Egypt, so it was almost all the same color.

By the end of class I had everything drawn down to the tiniest detail, taking my time to bring the picture to life. Though it was barren, it still needed detail to it. As I finished I started looking around while I thought about what I was going to use to fill it in. Ryou had made a dream catcher of sorts, golden with a pyramid in the middle and multiple cone shaped figures dangling from it. A group of girls over on the other side had drawn the exact same thing, even coloring it the same.. This was art class, what good was that going to do? And it was a flower, the simplest of things.

I caught a glimpse of the new girl's artwork, and noticed that the people at her table looked stunned. She was using soft pastels, which was basically chalk, but the drawing looked bright, and really colorful. She had her eyes narrowed, and tilted her head different directions as if looking for the right angle to fill it in at... One finger tip was covered in light colors while three others were covered in multiple dark colors. Her right hand was her tool, and covered in chalk. I couldn't see exactly what the picture was, but I had a feeling it was far from done.

* * *

Lunch time came quickly... The other classes seemed to have flew by in a breeze. I'd lost Joey somewhere, him running off saying that he was hungry. Wasn't really anything new..

What was new, however was seeing my cousin leaning in towards Yugi, and I didn't like the look he was wearing. It was sinister, and the smaller one, nor anyone else around him, really seemed to notice the danger he was in. Of course, with Yugi being his target, Marik was unaware of the danger he was in. I pulled out the notes I'd taken for him in theater, he needed them, and what better way to give him fair warning to back off than to give him some notes? I walked forward, making my way through the crowd like a tiger sneaking up on it's prey.

Marik was leaning over Yugi by now, the shorter still unaware of his advances. I slammed my hand in Marik's face from beside Yugi, pushing him back. "Your notes... Marik" I growled his name, letting him know he'd crossed a line he shouldn't have come close to. I felt the fear fill the air, and even Bakura stood up from the tree he was previously leaned against.

Marik swallowed hard, taking a few steps back, making distance between him and Yugi. His eyes were wide when he brought the papers down from his face, and I could only assume it was because he saw the fury in my eyes. He had made me angry, and it wasn't something to be taken lightly. My anger was no toy, and that was something everyone had learned.

"Yami!" Joey called, breaking the tension a little. I didn't lose eye contact as he approached. "I've been lookin' all over fer ya" he panted, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

"Just giving Marik some notes" I told him, giving Marik one final warning before turning away. "C'mon, we gotta get to class." I could only hear Bakura's laughter as I walked away, the whitenette making fun of the blonde for his mistake. The other three seemed completely clueless though.

I had told Joey we had to get to class, but in all honesty, my next class was with Yugi. So, while Joey headed off to science, I grabbed my math book and walked to a window where I could see Yugi waving to his friends. I peered around the corner as he came inside, watching the shorter one go to his locker. He threw his lunch bag in and took his textbook out. His locker shut as he turned to walk towards the class, he rounded the corner and I followed behind, the smaller one still unaware. The bullies, however, were very aware of my presence. They backed off as he got closer, allowing him to reach his destination without trouble. I waited for a while, making sure it wasn't obvious that I was following behind him. I walked in and sat down just before the bell rang.

Math was a fairly simple subject for me. Of course having to basically be an accountant for my father when I lived with them, I learned math pretty quickly. If I didn't learn it fast, I was given the boot. Literally..

Life hadn't been easy back then... It still wasn't, but at least I was being beaten on anymore.

I got started on the worksheet we had. It was simple enough, not really anything too complicated. My eyes stayed on my worksheet until I felt like someone was staring at me. It wasn't unusual or anything, a lot of people stared, but when I looked up I caught purple eyes staring at me. I lifted my brow a bit in question but he just quickly turned away. He acted like he wanted to talk to me. I shrugged and went back to my paper; he would talk to me in science class if he needed to.

The bell rang to dismiss us and sure enough, here came the blonde, rounding the corner. "Dude, we have new girls here" he panted as he caught up to me.

"I know. They came running in this morning."

"That one with the black an' blue hair is scary, man!"

I raised a brow and chuckled a bit. "Joey, I thought you weren't scared of anything."

"I'm not... I just... How am I not supposed to be scared of a girl?"

"Don't make her mad?" I offered. "As long as you don't bother them, they won't bother you."

"Yams, she looks like she hates everyone."

"I think you're observing the wrong way, Mr. Wheeler. She didn't seem too hateful in art this morning.. Just leave her be if you're scared, but don't say anything to make her mad. She looks like the type of person to punch you in the neck if you piss her off..."

Joey gulped, covering his neck with his hands "That shit hurts!"

I chuckled "You would know."

We grabbed our books and headed to class, secretly keeping an eye on the little one as he made his way to the Japanese classroom. He was joined by the two new girls along the way, the silver haired one waving her arms as she went on and on about her day, while the dark haired one just seemed to watch everything. Yugi walked into the room and Joey and I continued down the hallway, making our way into English class.

We were on a poetry segment for English, meaning that it would require me to write a poem. Not that I had any problem with that, but that meant it would be homework tonight. And I already had to go to work after school.. Really wasn't looking forward to that after this morning... All I really wanted to do was go home and rest. I was beginning to wear down, and a nap was sounding good.

I read the poems we were supposed to during class so all I would have to worry about was writing my poem. After English was over it was off to history. Before history though, I had somewhere else to go. I followed the smaller one silently, watching as the silver haired girl from earlier pranced beside him. I hid behind corners when he would turn around, I didn't want the bullies to bother him, but I also didn't want him to know what I was doing. What would I answer if he asked me what I was doing? "Hey, just following you to class.. To protect you.." Yeah that wasn't weird or anything.. I rolled my eyes at myself as I continued watching the smaller one.

He walked into the choir room and I turned around to walk to class. Or that was the plan.. Smashing into someone was not the plan, but it's what I did. I looked up at said person, which turned out to be the lovely blonde I'd had a chat with this morning.. Wonder where she came from..

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Funny you ask, I was heading to history class.. Where you should be" I added after I thought for a second.

"I was watching you follow my cousin around. What's that all about? You lost little puppy dog?"

"I'm not a puppy dog.. That's what Seto calls Joey."

"Who?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head "Nevermind that. Anyway, shall we?"

"Not until you tell me what you were doing."

I looked away, biting my lip as I thought. Nothing came to me though. I looked back at her, letting my lip outta my teeth "How much did you see?"

"Enough to know you don't want him to know you're following him."

"I just don't want the bullies to corner him for something I did.. I may have only made things worse for him by not letting him get beat up.. If he ended up in the hospital because of something I did.." I trailed off, looking at the ground.

"Why does he matter to you?"

I looked up at her. Why did he matter to me? I furrowed my brows, my eyes finding their way back to the ground and surrounding walls.

"You don't know.. Do you?" she asked. I looked back up at her, her expression had changed. It was no longer accusing me, but pitying me. Why though? Her hand found it's way to my shoulder, her expression going normal but still seemed to be pitiful. Her eyes seemed a lot nicer than before as she smiled a little bit. "Forget I said anything. C'mon, let's get to class."

Her hand dropped and we started walking off to class. She didn't say anything else, but I could feel her watching me. I kept my eyes low. I'd been caught, and I didn't have a real reason for what I was doing.. It wasn't a lie. But, I didn't know what other reason I would be doing what I was doing... What was wrong with me? Maybe it was because he was so happy.. Maybe that's what made me so curious about him. I wanted to know what kind of life he lived to be my exact opposite.. There wasn't anything more than that.

..Right?

I sat down in class looking down at my book but not seeing it. What was wrong with me? What was so interesting about this guy? Why did I feel like it was my duty to protect him? I didn't even know him! I decided not to dwell on it for too long. I had to make sure that I got homework done so I didn't have to worry about it later.

I got to work, reading the chapter we were on while the teacher went on with the lecture. The worksheet was able to be answered by reading through. I felt Mai's eyes on me a lot. That was another thing that was bothering me. Why had she looked at me with pity? Did Mai pity me? And if so, why?

I was getting off subject again.. I shook my head clear of it's thoughts, getting back to work. My pencil moved as I read, making sure everything got done. So far I had English homework, and so far that was it. Unless I didn't finish this and couldn't handle the worksheet in science, that's all I would have.

At the end of class I only had one question left. I yawned as I got up from my seat, letting out a stretch that was much needed. I went to my locker and put my book in my bag with the worksheet. I tossed my science book in and walked down the hallway.

The shorter one was gathering his things, Ryou lingering around him. Malik came jogging over, grabbing the white haired boy and the two ran off, presumably to class. Yugi closed his locker and made his way to science, unaware of me being behind him the whole way. I waited until the bell was about to ring and walked into the room. I nodded my hello as I sat down, taking my bag off my back and sitting it beside me.

"Hey" he greeted. "I have a question for you..." I looked over at him expectantly, but he seemed to get a little lost in thought. His eyes focused in on mine and what only lasted a couple seconds felt like a few hours. His eyes were bright, shining with curiosity, oddly enough his pale skin complimented them, instead of making them seem dull in comparison, it made them brighter.

I looked away before I got lost in the sea of wonder the color of amethyst. "Ask away" I urged, leaning over to get my stuff out of my bag.

"So... this is gonna sound weird, especially if it isn't true," he chuckled a bit, and I couldn't tell if it was a nervous one or not. "But I've heard this rumor about you and wanted confirmation on whether or not it's true..."

I nodded, this was bound to come up eventually. What better time than now? "Reasonable. Which rumor do you want me to confirm? They're all true to some degree." It wasn't a lie. I'd heard them all. None of them were a hundred percent true, but they were all true to some percentage.

"Um... The one about the water tower... It seems to be everyone's favorite story."

"Does it sound like something I'd to you?" I asked, looking back over at him. I wanted to know what he thought of me. What kind of a person did this happy guy see me as? I may not like the answer, but I wanted to know. I needed to know.

"I haven't known you long... but no, I think you're better than that..." He looked back at me and I searched for any hint of a lie. There wasn't one. He was being completely honest.

I blinked and looked away, opening my book as I replied. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, because that's probably the only rumor that was completely true. No one gets to call me by that name anymore, not even Joey."

I saw him nod from my peripheral vision. "Ok. I can understand getting aggravated. Usually I just run when I'm upset, but you do that. I'd probably do something like that in a moment of blind anger if I was able," I looked back over at him, a smile spreading across his face. "I'm not disappointed."

My eyes widened slightly, there was a phrase I'd never heard from anyone. I found myself unable to hold back the smile, or the laughter that bubbled with it. I chuckled softly, shaking my head as I picked up my pencil. I got to work on the worksheet in front of me, the smile planted on my face the whole time, just like the confused look on Yugi's face. His confusion turned to a smile, his cheeks lighting up slightly with a pink hue as he himself got to work on his own worksheet. I found that I didn't mind the sight of it. I kept glancing out of the corner of my eye, and I was happy to see the smile still there as the pink blush faded.

I wasn't as tired as I had been all day. I felt recharged. I was actually more than happy to go to work after school. I felt like a weight had been lifted, a weight I'd carried around all day. It'd dissipated as I sat there next to this boy. My phone had started going off at some point and we had sat there laughing together at the boy on the other side of the screen. Joey, yet again was snapping pictures and sending them with messages. Unfortunately for him, Mai had caught him this time. The final picture I'd gotten was her grabbing his ear and turning his head back towards the front. His expression had Yugi and I covering our mouths to keep from laughing out loud.

The response was my personal favorite. A picture of the two of us holding up peace signs, wearing matching grins, with a text that said 'good luck!'

We both laughed, and I knew my face turned red with Joey's reply as the bell rang. I walked out ahead of Yugi, I had to get to work, and didn't have time for the 'you two look cute together' message. I shook my head, clearing away the blush as Yugi disappeared ahead of me.

* * *

Kitty: Hey, guys... Did you enjoy the Yami threatening Mario...? Cuz Key-chan and I did...

Yugi: Who the hell is Key-chan?

Kitty: Nickey, obviously. I needed a new nickname for her. She only had two. Now she has three! *grins*

Nickey: Just as Kitty is Kitty, Kat, and shit head... :D

Yami: And you're bitch...

Nickey: That's THE bitch to you, ass monger... So shut your cornhole...

Kitty: *laughs*

Yugi: So... how was your vacation?

Kitty: It was great until I went to France. I mean seriously?! You don't go through a purse while the owner of the purse is wearing it!

Nickey: I woulda shoved that hand right down his throat until it came out his ass!

Kitty: I would say something, but it's Nickey... Anyway, did you guys read our poems? They were great!

Nickey: We wrote poems? ... OHH! Yeah! Those! XD I remembered :P

Kitty: Wow, Nickey. You forgot about those. *turns to audience; waves* Bye! And don't forget to wish my baby brother happy birthday! He's 15, and tomorrow my sister is 16! Sweet 16, people! Don't tell her, but mama has a car in Mrs. Melissa's driveway for her...

Yugi: I'll send you guys cake!

Nickey: WOO! CAKE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Yami: Happy birthday little brother! :D

Nickey: Bye everyone! See ya next time! :D


	8. Chapter 7: Bountiful Surprises

Nickey: Sup! Welcome to chapter 7! :D This is the sick-cast... I dunno... I got nothin... XD

Yugi: Nickey opened it?

Yami: Kitty disappeared...

Nickey: She's right beside you, idiot...

Yami: Oh... Right.. Why didn't you do it?

Kitty: Yeah... I didn't feel like doing that today. I'm sick. (Only you readers can hear or Nickey might be upset: Anyway, sorry this is late. Things happened.) And Nickey and I have made a decision: Yugi's chapters will be posted on either Saturdays or Sundays and Yami's on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Nickey: Woo, everyone's sick! I've been sick for a week now.. And I have a kidney infection... Woo! I'm dying... (Yeah, I'm not worried, this is my sick celebration...)

Yugi: *sighs* Kitty, you're not sick. You're just missing your new boyfriend.

Kitty: Shut... Shit... It's too late...

Yugi: Oh... Did you not tell her...?

Kitty: *shakes head*

Nickey: *Pulls out bubble wrap* Kitty... I have knives... But I'll use the bubble wrap on you... And go after him later... What's this about a boyfriend?

Kitty: I was gonna tell you earlier... But then Yami convinced me to wait until we were all together so he could see you try to kill him with him...

Nickey: *throws bubble wrap and pulls out knives* Well... Then I guess we'll go ahead and get started..

Yugi: Um... I'm gonna start the video before things get out of hand... Bye~!

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 7

Bountiful Surprises

I ran ahead of Yami after science because I had planned on meeting Kitty and Nickey after school that day. My sister had already said she'd drive us to this park that was apparently a really popular place for teens to hang out. I stopped just outside of the school gates when I saw some people picking on Kitty. I vaguely wondered where Nickey was, since she rarely left her sister alone. I wanted to go do something, but the guys picking on her were the same guys as the ones that had tried to pick on me the day before. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to decide what to do...

"Do you know her?" someone asked behind me, causing me to jump.

I spun around and saw Yami and Joey standing there, with Yami motioning to Kitty while Joey looked at me with a smile. "Um... yeah, I do. She's my mom's friend's daughter. Usually her sister Nickey is with her, but she obviously isn't. I don't think they'd have gotten so close to her if she was..."

Yami nodded and stomped off to them with an order for Joey to stay with me. Joey didn't seem to like that much but stayed with me anyway. Yami was just within my hearing range, so I heard as he spoke to the bullies picking on Kitty, who was cornered against the gate. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded of them.

I saw Nickey storming up behind them and let out a sigh. Kitty would be okay, then. I could see how angry Nickey was as she stormed up to Yami, Kitty, and the bullies. "I have to agree with Sennen on this one," she said. "What do you think you're doing with Kitty? I don't believe she's done anything to you."

Someone tried to hit Nickey, and I suddenly started worrying for Yami, scared she'd think he was joining in on beating Kitty up even though he had tried to stop it. I'd seen the way she almost seemed to glare at everyone during Japanese class, and she hadn't even been angry then. I made up my mind to go and stop her if she tried to hurt Yami, although I had a feeling Kitty would stop her long before I ever even got to them.

The fist that had been trying to hit her had been stopped inches from her face by the angered girl. He seemed in pain as he dropped to the ground and her hand twisted, so I assumed she was holding pretty tight onto him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked as she stomped on his knee. I heard a sickening crack from all the way where I was.

His friend jumped in, and she let go of him, bringing her arm up to meet the other's nose, and she turned to punch him across the cheek. The boy fell to the ground.

The third boy started going at her, and Yami tried to jump in and help. It was obvious he didn't like these guys as he was too eager to join in on a fight with them.

"Does he always fight with these guys?" I asked Joey as I continued watching the fight.

"You move, and I'll beat you, too," Nickey said. "That's your only warning."

"Ooo," Joey said as Yami looked offended and started slowly backing up to Joey and me. "Nah, not really. 'E only started when ya started coming here, but 'e's been wanting to punch dem guys for ages," the blonde answered my question.

Nickey either didn't notice Yami walking towards us or didn't care as long as he didn't try to join in the fight, but he got away from her and came to join Joey and me. He pulled Joey to the side and whispered something to him before leaving with a wave at me.

All the while, Nickey was walking towards the bully with her head down. Her arm was thrown out as she ducked and caught him in the shin. He tripped and Nickey whirled around to step on his back.

The second one, who only got hit in the nose and cheek, started going after her, but she didn't even have a chance to respond before Kitty snapped out of her fearful trance and whacked him in the face with her backpack. I couldn't see what happened from the distance we were at, but he fell to the ground, crying.

Nickey looked like she was ready to continue her raging attack before Kitty grabbed her. "Ni-chan, come on. They aren't worth it," she said. Nickey didn't seem ready to stop, but Kitty let out a desperate cry of the word "please" and got her to stop. "Please," she said a little quieter. "Let's just go."

Nickey pushed the boy to the ground and sighed. "Fine. But if this happens again-" she began.

"You can do whatever you want. I won't stop you," Kitty replied as if she had heard the sentence a thousand times before.

"No, you won't," Nickey said, grabbing her bag from the ground where she had dropped it when the fight first started. "Get your stuff. We're leaving," she added.

Kitty rushed to grab her things and catch up to her sister, sliding her hand into the older girl's. "Yugi!" she exclaimed when she noticed Joey and me standing there. "I thought you would have left by now..."

I shook my head. "Well, first I was worried about you. Then when Nickey started fighting, I was worried about both of you, and when Yami left, I was worried about you," I said. "Besides, we made plans," I added.

Joey nodded. "'Ey, do ya mind if I join ya?" he asked.

I shook my head. "If Nickey and Kitty don't mind, neither do I..." I said, looking to Kitty.

"Nah, we don't mind," she replied.

"So, um..." Joey said, seeming hesitant to ask the question. "How are the two of ya in the same grade if you're sisters...?"

"Oh! NiNi and I are twins. Have been for 16 years now. Didn't you know that...?" Kitty asked.

Joey shook his head, and I was slightly shocked that he hadn't figured that out on his own. "Ya don't look like any twins I've evah seen," Joey said as we left the gates.

"Fraternal twins, dumbass," Nickey growled, still clearly angry.

"Well, sorry. There's no need for ya tah be a bitch," he said.

"Nickey, don't get upset anymore. It's not good for you," Kitty said, putting a calming hand on the older girl's shoulder. Nickey seemed to try calming down as my sister pulled up in front of us.

"Yugi, who's this? Am I going to have to get a bigger car?" she asked teasingly with a fake sigh. "You've never had so many friends..."

"No, 'Rasu. The guys who tried to mess with me yesterday were messing with Kitty..." I replied with a light laugh before looking at the others. "Who wants front seat?"

"Nickey gets front seat," Kitty said automatically. "I'm not chancing her losing it and punching Wheeler in the face."

"How do you know my name...?" Joey asked, obviously a little creeped out.

"We have history together, the three of us..." Kitty explained before climbing into the middle of the backseat.

"We do?" Joey and I asked. Joey sounded as shocked as I was.

Kitty smiled. "Yeah, we do. I asked the teacher not to introduce me before class and he agreed. I snuck into the class before it started and began writing. I don't talk all the time, y'know," she said jokingly.

The rest of the car ride was spent with Kitty, Joey, Amaterasu, and me talking to each other while Nickey sat silently in the front seat. I could only assume she was glaring out her window.

By the time we arrived at the park, Nickey had seemed to have cooled off a little bit, although it wasn't much. She was smiling at least... Kitty had told us in the car that she rarely smiled for no reason and that she assumed it was because Nickey "beat the shit out of those assholes". Seeing as Kitty didn't look the type to cuss, Joey and I had both laughed, and she had stared at us like we were crazy.

"So how was school?" Amaterasu asked when we got out of the car at the park. "Other than the whole attack on Kitty, I mean," she added. "Anything -" she started wiggling her eyebrows at me "- interesting happen with a certain savior?"

I blushed but answered, and everyone looked confused as to why I was so red. "Um... uh... No... N-not rea-lly," I said, my voice raising a pitch. I didn't want to admit to my sister - or these people, no matter what I considered them - know that I had wanted to kiss him in my last class... "I um... I just asked him to confirm how truthful some of the rumors I've been hearing about him are..."

"Which rumor did ya ask 'im 'bout?" Joey asked. "Chances are it was true tah some extent. None of 'em are completely true..."

I nodded. "He said the same thing. It was the one about the water tower," I replied. They asked me to tell them the conversation, and I managed to recite it almost word for word before thinking back on the look he had on his face when I told him I wasn't disappointed. He had looked happier, more carefree. Well, maybe not carefree... He looked as if he had never been told he wasn't a disappointment... I sighed, wondering if that was the case, and if so, why didn't his parents tell him he wasn't a disappointment? It was strange...

My mind then went back to his usual appearance. His eyes showed no emotion, and he always seemed lost in thought. I'd noticed, even though I'd only just met him, that there were moments when he looked as if he carried the weight of the world solely on his shoulders, almost like the Greek mythological titan Atlas, who had been forced to hold up the sky. But Atlas was a bad guy who had deserved the punishment; Yami was only a human, and possibly one of the best people I'd ever met, even if his heart was darker than most. Who were his parents if they allowed their son to walk around like that? Even Atlas was saved from having to do so; he stood on top of a mountain and held the sky, without being forced to move around.

"Yugi!" Amaterasu's voice shouted, causing me to jump. "You're doing it again!"

Joey, Kitty, and even Nickey looked confused. I was shocked, since Nickey was still clearly mad, that she had shown any other emotions. "What's he doing?" Kitty asked.

Amaterasu sighed before sending me a light glare. "My brother has always had a habit of trying to find out the problems of everyone in the whole world and trying to fix them. He ponders for hours on what the problem could possibly be. And then, when he figures it out, he tries to solve that problem.

"His last friend - a brat named Daniel - had come from a family of murderers, and he had invited the kid to stay with us for a while. The kid had tried to kill Yugi in his sleep but didn't realize how light of a sleeper I was. He tripped outside my door and then continued to Yugi's room. He had a knife at my brother's throat when I reached the room, and that knife had ended up in his lower thigh."

I winced, remembering that incident. Amaterasu had been mad at me for almost a month because of that. "Anyway," I said, trying to change the subject, "do any of you know what's going on with Yami?"

"What do ya mean?" Joey asked. "Nothin's wrong with my best buddy! I think I'd know if there was something goin' on with 'im!"

I shrugged. "I don't know, exactly... He just seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders," I said.

"Like Atlas," Amaterasu said, making the same comparison I had and causing me to chuckle at the confused expressions on everyone else's faces.

"The Titan Atlas is a character in Greek mythology. In the war between the titans and gods in the myth, Atlas sided with his brothers - the Titans. When they lost the war, Atlas was made to hold the weight of the sky on the western side of Gaea - their word for Earth - because he had been a major leader on the titan's side," I explained the basics of the myth. "Thats why Yami reminds me of him, but Yami's a good guy who doesn't deserve that weight."

Nickey spoke for the first time since we had left the school. "Yami? I noticed that in art today. His picture was really good," she said.

I nodded. "He seems like the artistic type," I replied with a small nod. "But he's really nice..." I lost myself in my thoughts again, this time thinking about Yami's eyes. When I pulled myself out of them, I smiled at the group. "Hey, guys, I'm gonna go home. I have homework and such for math and English... I'll see y'all on Monday," I said before walking home. We had passed it on the way to the park, so I knew how to get there.

When I got home I smiled and wrote on a piece of paper a reminder to ask Malik who Yami's parents were before I started On my homework.

* * *

"Yugi,, wake up!" my mom called the next morning. "I have an errand I need you to run! I'd do it myself, but I really can't right now!"

"K!" I called through a yawn. "I'll be down in a minute!" I went through my closet and pulled out a regular white tee shirt with a pair of black jeans before I tied my hair in a ponytail to keep it out of my face while I ran. After I put those on, I slipped my tennis shoes on and ran through the house, sliding down the railing to the stairs before walking into the kitchen. "Where do you need me to go?" I asked my mom, sliding into my usual seat at the table, which had a plate of bacon, biscuits, and eggs in front of it.

"There's a pet store about three blocks down. I want you to go there and get a cat," mom said. "Your sister's birthday is in a couple of weeks, and I want to get her present before my parents come up to visit us. She's been wanting a cat since Midnight died, so your father and I agreed to get one."

"Alright," I said. When I finished my breakfast, I kissed her lightly on the cheek and ran outside, glad that I was in my running shoes. I ran to the pet store and smiled at the person at the cash register.

"Um... Hi," I said. "I'm looking for a cat and I don't know what all I'll need for it..." I blushed lightly.

The person, a girl with long black hair and brown eyes - not too memorable, and not above averagely pretty - smiled at me. "What age would you like the cat to be?" she asked. "You'll need different things depending on that and the cat's personality. I advise a kitten; they're almost always playful and you get longer with them." She then looked me up and down. "I'm sorry if I sound rude, but why do you want a kitten? You don't look like a cat person..."

I smiled. "A kitten sounds great," I said. "And the kitten is actually my mom and dad's birthday present for my sister. She's been wanting a cat since her last one died, and her birthday is in a few weeks."

The girl nodded. "Well, there should be someone in the back who can help you find a cat for your sister. He should be able to tell you about everything you'll need, how many times to feed it, and all that," she said, motioning towards the back of the store.

"Thank you," I said to the girl before walking into the back of the rather large building. "Um... Hello?" I called out when I didn't see anyone. "Is anyone here...?"

No one responded at first, and I was about to try to figure it out on my own when a door opened. "Hi, my name is Yami Sennen. How can I... help... you..." the person coming out of it asked, slowing down as he caught sight of me.

"Oh! Hi, Yami! I didn't know you worked here," I said with a smile as I walked up to him. I took in his outfit: a sleeveless blood red hoodie, red and black converse, black leather pants, and a shirt the same silvery color as Kitty's hair.

"Um..." he said. "What are you doing here...?"

I laughed. "Getting a cat for my sister. Her birthday is in a couple weeks," I said.

Yami nodded, chewing his lip before finally speaking. "What will it take for you to not tell anyone about this?" he asked. "I'll give you anything... Just, don't tell..."

I tilted my head to the side. Why was he trying to hide this? Having a job just showed how responsible he was... And he was offering me anything if I just kept this a secret...? "Be my friend," I said. "If you be my friend, I won't tell..."

Yami looked shocked before he smirked and walked forward. "What type of friend?" he asked, and I gulped. He was really close, and his red eyes were sparkling with mischief. My thoughts stopped there. His eyes were sparkling. In the two days I'd known him, they had not once sparkled. "A boyfriend or a best friend?"

I swallowed, trying to get my mouth to work. "Um... uh... which... one would you... like better...?" I asked before his hand was on my chin and pulling me forward into a short and gentle kiss.

"I'd very much like the former to be the case," he said, leaning his forehead against mine. "However, I will settle with just being your friend."

I blushed. Wow... Someone wanted me to be his... Wait... Yami's gay...? Or is he bi? My thoughts went everywhere at that point as I felt Yami's breath on my face. "I would... Very much like to be your boyfriend..." I muttered, fearing that my voice might raise a pitch or two if I spoke up any.

Yami smiled as he pulled away, his arms crossed against his chest. He looked even better when he smiled, and I felt like I was looking at a Pharaoh, proud and mighty as his kingdom took control of another area of land. He didn't remind me of Atlas anymore; that weight had been lifted from him, almost as if he was allowing me to carry some of it, lightening it in both of us. He wasn't Atlas anymore... I smiled at that and blushed as I remembered why I was actually there. "Um... can you help me...? I need to get my sister a kitten... I'm not a big cat person... I prefer horses..." I said, causing Yami to chuckle before he helped me.

* * *

Kitty: *squeals* OH MY GOD, THEY'RE FINALLY TOGETHER!

Yugi: *rubs ear* Owwww... Kitty, I know you're excited, but come on... I wanna be able to hear tomorrow...

Kitty: *blushes* Right... Sorry, Yugi...

Nickey: That went from 100 to 0 real quick...

Yami: Yeah.. That'll happen...

Kitty: NiNi, I'm tired... The doctor made me get up too early...

Nickey: Doctors are evil... That's why I don't go...

Yami: Yeah, that's a good example... Kitty meant vet though, not doctor... She has to see a vet...

Kitty: Yami, don't be so mean. *rubs arms*

Yugi: Kitty, are you cold...?

Kitty: *shakes head, sneezes* No, I'm fine...

Yami and Nickey: Riiight~

Yugi: Kitty, you don't look okay...

Kitty: *sneezes, glares* I said. I'm fine. Now, go. Away. *walks away, sneezing and sniffling*

Nickey: *rolls eyes and follows* You're ohhh so fine... Go eat noodle soup!

Yugi: You know, we never do get to say goodbye anymore...

Yami: Meh *shrugs* Nows your chance...

Yugi: *shrugs* Oh well. Hope you enjoyed!


	9. Chapter 8: New News and Apologies

Kitty: So NiNi wanted to get more into depth about the pet store, I guess. Besides, I know literally nothing about kittens. Even though I have one. Nickey, is that sad?

Nickey: Well no... Cuz you have me... And while I pretend to know nothing, I know lots :D

Yami: Yeah... Pretend...

Nickey: TWO PLUS TWO CAN SO EQUAL FISH, YOU'RE JUST AN IDIOT!

Yami: Whatever you say... *looks to Yugi*

Yugi: No, Kitty, it isn't sad. It just means that M takes care of the pets.

Kitty: *nods* So... my head is killing me... Unless Key-chan wants to ramble on for a bit, this is all for the intro.

Nickey: KEY-CHAN SHALL RAMBLE ONWARD! :D I apologize in advance because I'm super duper hyper :D Next update is Sunday, December the 4th! So, look for that then... :D

Yugi: Enjoy!

Yami: Don't forget to review... It'd be a shame if you accidentally disappeared...

Kitty: Yami Ratina Sennen! They do NOT have to review!

Nickey: Dude... She just full named you... Watch out... Also, we would certainly appreciate reviews, we read every SINGLE one of them! :D

Kitty: They would be nice, though, huh...? Should we start doing the replies to the reviews...?

Nickey: Let's let them decide... Would you guys like us to start replying to your reviews? If so, let us know! :D

Yami: Yeah... Cuz they're gonna do that...

Nickey: Shut up Yami, or it's a one way ticket straight to hell... ENJOY THE CHAPTER! :D

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 8

New News and Apologies

Yugi had run ahead, but somehow I caught him at the door. I followed his line of sight, seeing one of the new girls from earlier. I looked back at Yugi who looked conflicted. Joey walked up beside me, noticing the scene as well. I looked at him before making my decision.

"Do you know her?" I asked, causing Yugi to jump. Whoops, didn't mean to scare him. I pointed at the silver haired girl from earlier, letting him know who I was referring to.

He spun around, his posture relaxing a bit as he realized who it was. "Um... Yeah, I do. She's my mom's friend's daughter. Usually her sister Nickey is with her, but she obviously isn't. I don't think they'd have gotten so close to her if she was.."

"Stay with Yugi" I told Joey, walking over to confront the group of three. First Yugi, now a helpless girl. They were boys! You can't just pick on a girl! "What do you think you're doing?" I growled, my anger getting the best of me.

I heard footsteps behind me, I could only assume it was the older of the two, and from the sounds of her boots, she was pissed. Something heavy hit the ground, and since the three of them were still standing, I assumed it was her bag. She stopped next to me, her fists and jaw clenched and her eyes glowing with anger. Yep, pissed was an understatement...

"I have to agree with Sennen on this one," she said, her jaw still clenched as her brows furrowed. "What do you think you're doing with Kitty? I don't believe she's done anything to you."

I didn't get scared often. But standing next to this girl, I felt two feet tall. Her aura screamed for others to run.

A fist came flying, my eyes widening for a couple reasons. First off because a guy would dare to take a swing at a girl, secondly because the girl had caught the fist inches from her face. The boy hit the ground as she gave his wrist a twist backwards, her boot met his knee, making it crunch under the pressure, and I was pretty sure it was broken.

His friend came up behind her and she lifted her left elbow, meeting his nose while simultaneously releasing the first guy, twisting to the side and letting her right fist meet his left cheek. It was graceful, but powerful, kinda like she was dancing.

I caught sight of the third guy attempting to jump in, but as I moved she gave me my warning. "You move, and I'll beat you too" she said. "That's your only warning."

It was harsh, but if she didn't want me in it, I wouldn't get in it. I backed away, letting her know I would stay out of it. She started going towards the third guy, her head lowering to look at the ground. I pulled out my phone glancing at the time "Shit" I cursed, backing up to where I left Joey and Yugi. I pulled Joey to the side once I reached him "Stay with Yugi, make sure those guys don't come after him once she's done with them. I gotta go."

He nodded his head before returning to Yugi's side. I started running, waving to Yugi before breaking into a sprint. I was going to be late to work if I didn't hurry.

I made it to work with five minutes to spare, so I ran to the back and changed in the bathroom, a white button up with a black tank top underneath, the top two buttons undone, black dress pants, and my favorite black and red converses. I ran my rounds, playing with the animals as I went.

The bird cages needed cleaned, they had yet to be fed. I had feed the rodents, and watch for any new babies in the cages. The fish had to be fed, and dead ones removed. Customers needed help and wanted to know information on animals they wanted to get.

My job in the pet store was to clean cages, feed animals, make sure they get socialized so they get sold, and to know just about everything about the animals we carried. I was the go-to person because I was the only worker that would go the extra mile, and the bosses knew that. I also had to restock shelves, fill up the food containers in the front, capture any escaped pets, and set up any new displays we got in. It was exhausting, sure, but the pay was good, and the customers and animals seemed happy.

"See you tomorrow, Sennen" my boss waved as we exited the store.

"Bye" I waved back, beginning my walk home. It was a little chilly, but nothing I couldn't stand.

I walked past the park on my way home, looking over to see it lit up by multiple lamps, speckled all around so the light was spread evenly, and very few dark corners lurked. It looked like it would be a romantic walk to go on. Violet flashed across my view, and so did that smile. "I'm not disappointed" he had said.

It felt good. To know of all the disappointments I'd done, all the disappointing things I had done, and yet one person wasn't disappointed in me. I looked up at the moon, smiling out of genuine joy. A joy that made my heart feel a way it'd never felt before. Maybe there was more reasoning behind my need to protect the boy. I'd followed him to all his classes, beaten bullies off of him, lingered around him to make sure nothing happened, used my best friend to protect him, and many other small things, just to search for his approval, only to ensure his safety.

I looked back down sadly. Was it really love? I like Yugi, sure.. But.. Why do I feel like it's my duty to make sure that every day he makes it through his tasks unscathed? I shook my head and kept walking, I needed a shower, and a nice relaxing night to just sleep away. A yawn escapes, causing my eyes to water as I lazily make my way home, backpack over one shoulder.

ABD

I woke up at six a.m., opening my window to test the weather. It didn't feel too cold out, but might get cooler later on. I pulled on a silver tank top, covering it with my favorite, sleeveless, dark red hoodie. I traded out my gym shorts for a pair of black leather pants, pulling on a pair of socks before slipping into my converse. I quickly combed my hair back, the shorter blonde bangs flipping down over my forehead, refusing to go back even with the gel. I gave up on trying and decided it was good enough.

I grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge, pulling my keys from the counter to lock my door on my way out. I tucked the keys into my hoodie pocket, opening up the water and taking a drink while walking to work. The pet store wasn't as far away as Maji Burger, but it was still a pretty good distance. This early in the morning though, it wasn't like you could overheat from the exercise. I would clock in fourteen hours today since it was a Saturday. We opened at seven, closed at nine, and got a half hour break around lunch time, and two ten minute breaks in between, one before lunch and one after. The bosses were good people, and the managers of the place. I was their favorite, so I pretty much got to do whatever I wanted.

The morning was always slow, so I took that time to tend to the aviary room. We were in the middle of painting it and setting it up with cages for the birds. The room didn't go up to the tall ceiling, and a net was over the top, so maybe our parakeets would stop escaping their cages and taking free roam of the store. It also allowed us workers to hear outside of the room, and since I was the only one here that ran the back, it was important to be able to hear.

I was painting a colorful Macaw when I heard someone calling. I wiped my hands, sitting down my paintbrush and heading for the door. "Is anyone here...?"

The voice sounded faintly familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on where I'd heard it from. I walked out the door to the aviary, looking down to tuck in the towel I had been using. "Hi, my name is Yami Sennen. How can I..." Oh shit. "help... you..." Dammit, I knew that voice sounded familiar. I mentally cursed myself as I stopped dead, being met with the bright face, of Yugi Moto.

"Oh! Hi, Yami! I didn't know you worked here." He seemed really cheerful about it, while I just kinda stood there. But, I had to admit, he looked better out of the school uniform.. In casual clothes! I added mentally. Jeebus... What was wrong with me? One look back at him, his cheerful violet eyes, his similar hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, it looked good on him. And that smile...

"Um..." I quickly pulled myself from my trance, getting back to the matter at hand. "What are you doing here...?"

He laughed and my heart leaped up into my throat. "Getting a cat for my sister. Her birthday is in a couple weeks."

I nodded, giving myself a chance to swallow my heart back down. How was going to make sure he didn't tell anyone about this? He didn't seem like the kind of person that would tell, but I'd only known him a few days.. I chewed my lip as I thought, looking around, trying to take my attention away from his smile. "What will it take for you to not tell anyone about this? I'll give you anything... Just, don't tell..."

His head went to the side and I was pretty sure this boy was out to kill me. How can you be as old as he was, and still be more adorable than a toddler? "Be my friend" he said, my attention returned to the conversation. "If you be my friend, I won't tell..."

Be his friend? That was all he wanted? A thought crossed my mind, and I couldn't hold back the smirk. 'Friends' wasn't good enough for me. I wanted more. I stepped forward, stopping only when there was barely any space between us, and I stood over him. "What type of friend?" I asked, and he gulped, his violet eyes showing all sorts of emotion. Shock, awe, maybe even desire... "A boyfriend or a best friend?"

He swallowed and it looked like he was having some troubles thinking up words. "Um... uh... which... one would you... like better...?" That little bit of innocence was all it took. I lifted my hand to his chin, gently bringing him forward and pressing our lips together. The kiss was short, but it was all I'd imagined it to be and more. I had to restrain myself from stealing another, remembering that we were in a pet store, I was working, and he came here to find something. We were also in the middle of a conversation.

"I'd very much like the former to be the case," I told him, leaning my forehead against his. I didn't want him to feel like he didn't have a choice in the matter, though. "However, I will settle with just being your friend."

His cheeks turned red, his eyes looked heavy, and he held the perfect image of starstruck. It took a minute for him to gather his thoughts, and from the look of it, he had a lot of them. "I would... Very much like to be your boyfriend..." his voice was somewhere between a whisper and his regular vocal range.

I smiled and pulled away, crossing my arms as I let him gather his wits about him. The blush that had started to go away was back, and so was the smile. He blinked and seemed to remember why he was here. "Um... can you help me...? I need to get my sister a kitten... I'm not a big cat person... I prefer horses..."

I chuckled, and who wouldn't with how awkward he was acting. "C'mon, I'll help you out." I waved him back to the room where we were holding the kittens while we were renovating. "We had to take them out of their cages and put them back here because we're redoing the store."

"You renovate your own store?"

"Not my store. The owners wanted it renovated and asked if I would help. I know a little bit about everything, so I said yes. And they offered to pay a little extra, so," I shrugged "I'm not greedy or anything, but it's my own money."

"Didn't really picture you as the greedy type either" he laughed.

I opened the room to reveal the cats in separate cages, the big ones having their own cage, while the kittens shared in groups of three or four. "So, kitten, right?"

"Right."

"Any particular color? Or... Gender?"

"Female. And she likes black cats... Um.. 'Rasu is a happy, kinda mellow person."

I thought for a minute. If anyone here knew these cats, it was me. I looked around the cages, when my eyes landed on her. Tiki. "How do you think your sister would feel about a black and white cat?"

"I mean.. she likes cats, so she'd probably love it the same."

"Well" I said, pulling my keys from my pocket so I could unlock the cage. "This, is Tiki" I pulled the kitten out, her lower half and some of the upper was white, a black saddle with a smaller black dot were on her back. Her eyes were green, her face was black on top a small freckle on her upper left lip, and a bigger dot on the right half of her chin, the rest of her face was white, with a blaze running up her forehead, ending in a peak on top of her head. Her tail was black with a white tip, and her left front paw held a black spot around the ankle. "She's a sweetheart, and there isn't much that she doesn't like."

"She's cute" he said, looking at the kitten but not offering to take it.

"But?" I urged, looking at him accusingly.

"But, what?"

"That's it? 'She's cute'?"

"I told you, I'm not a cat person..." he pouted and I couldn't hold back the chuckle.

"Well, I think your sister will like her" I told him, pulling out a box to put her in. "C'mon, Tiki."

I handed him the box once the kitten was inside, walking with him back to the main store. "Morning, Duke" I greeted the other employee as he came in.

"Morning, Sennen" he returned with a smile. "You going on break?"

"Right after this customer. You getting the reptiles?"

"Yep. I'll get them."

"Thanks."

"Who was that?" Yugi asked once we were out of earshot.

"Duke. He's another worker here."

"Oh." He seemed to want to ask more as we continued forward. I watched him from the corner of my eye, and smiled as I watched the gears turning. "Are you guys friends?" he finally asked, and I chuckled.

"I mean, we work together. We don't hang out outside of work, though."

"Oh."

"Is that all?" I asked, a smile on my face as I looked at him.

He blushed and nodded his head "that's all."

I walked down the aisle, looking at the foods. "She likes this food best. She's really not picky, but she'll eat this one the best." He watched me as I talked, taking in everything I said. "You need everything for her, or do you have a litter box?"

"My mom said to get everything it needs. So I'm assuming that I need everything for her.."

"Alright." I grabbed a pink collar as I walked by it, a little pink bell hanging from it. "This ones on me." We kept walking, I grabbed everything he would need for the kitten. A litter box, cat litter, a couple toys that she loved to play with, and anything else that I wanted to get. "And that's all you need." I told him, tossing everything up on the counter. I walked around the counter, grabbing my house keys and replacing them with the store keys. I grabbed my sunglasses and put them on my head as Yugi finished paying.

"Lizzie, will you clock me out for break?"

"Sure."

"Thank you." I turned and looked at Yugi "Need some help?"

"I mean... I have to carry this stuff home.. Soo, unless you plan on joining me on that walk, then I guess I'll have to figure it out."

I grabbed all the stuff I had picked up, thankful that Lizzie had put most of it in bags. "I'll be back in ten" I told her, walking out the door with Yugi in tow. "Lead the way" I told him.

Three slowly walked blocks later and we made it to a house that looked a lot like my parents' house. It was nice, clean, and the hedges were well trimmed. We walked up the walkway and he opened the door.

It'd been so long since I walked into a house like this one, that I couldn't help but look on with awe. Of course, this house was a lot nicer on the inside than my old home. That was another thing. Walking in, you could feel the home-y aura, it made me relax a bit.

"Who's your friend, Yugi" a woman asked. I turned to find a woman that looked a lot like Yugi, staring at me, a smile on her face.

"Mom, this is Yami" he introduced me, and a look went across her face. It was like she was remembering something.

I raised a brow as she approached without another word. A kiss was placed on my forehead, causing my eyes to widen. "Thank you" she said before leaving the hallway without another word.

I blinked and looked back to Yugi, my brow raising once again. "What was that about?"

"Well.." he drawled on, his cheeks darkening a little once again. "Everyone may or may not know about you beating up the bullies for me.."

"I'm going to go ahead and say that they do know, Mr. Innocent" I teased.

"Don't look at me! I'm not the one that told them!" he laughed as I narrowed my eyes playfully, a smile remaining on my face. "I didn't tell them. My sister did."

"And how did she find out?"

"Mai" he said matter-of-factly, sticking his tongue out.

I chuckled as his mother entered the room once again. "Will you be joining us for lunch, Yami?"

"Uh, no. I have somewhere to be. Thank you though." I pulled out my phone, checking to see how much time I had left. "Is there somewhere specific you want this stuff? I have to be going."

"Just sit it down here, Yugi can take it to where it needs to go. Thank you."

"No problem."

I sat the stuff down, Yugi sitting the box down and walking me to the door. "Thanks for helping me home."

"Not a problem at all."

"You sure you don't want lunch before you leave? Or.. Brunch I guess, since it's only ten. I feel kinda bad because you spent your break helping me carry stuff home."

"Yugi, this is only my first break. I get a half hour for lunch and another ten minute break in the second half of the day. I'm fine, I promise. I'll head home for lunch, it'll give me some time to work on homework too."

"You don't do that when you first get home?"

"On weekdays, yes. On weekends, no."

"How long do you work today?" He looked at me questioningly, and I know he worried a little.

"Thirteen hours. Seven a.m., to nine p.m."

"You work open to close?!"

"It's the weekend, Yugi. What else do you want me to do?"

He looked down like he was thinking before looking back up at me with a shrug. "I dunno.. Spend time with your family?"

"Pff" I laughed, lifting my hand to his shoulder. "That will not happen. But the thought was nice. Now, I have to get back to work before I'm late. Give me a call if you have any issues out of Tiki." I told him, writing down my number and handing it to him. "And, Remember our promise, won't you?"

The blush was back, and I couldn't help but chuckle. "I'll see you later" I told him, pressing a kiss to his forehead. Unfortunately, it was at this time that a girl that I could only assume to be his sister decided to walk in the door we were currently standing in front of. I pulled away, the two of us looking at each other with a blush as his sister's eyes sparkled. "Um, gotta go" I waved, running off laughing as Yugi called after me. I would have to apologize for that one later.

* * *

Kitty: My head still hurts... Nickey and Yami will be doing this since Yugi's cooking me soup... I can't cook...

Nickey: AND I'M NICKEY!

Yami: You shouldn't have had sugar today...

Nickey: WE ALL HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CHAPTER! :D

Yami: And next time, Nickey will more than likely be more sickly, and not as hyper as she is right now...

Nickey: Yami... I don't feel good...

Yami: Let the festivities, begin... We'll see you next time folks!

Nickey: GOODBYE! :D Don't forget to review on your way out! :D


	10. Chapter 9: Questioned

Nickey: Wassup bishes! :D

Yami: What... What is wrong with you?

Nickey: I HAD COFFEE! AND, I HAZ EGG NOG! :D

Kitty: Gross. I can't stand egg nog.

Yugi: Something is wrong with you, Kitty.

Nickey: Anywho! :3 It's chapter 9, and that means Kitty wrote it!

Yami: I just don't understand why she put someone who had three damn cups of coffee in charge of an intro and outro!

Kitty: Yami, I'm too lazy.

Yugi: And it would be out late. Kitty's a procrastinator.

Nickey: And besides, I told her I'd do it, so shut up, Yami! Anyway! It's chapter 9...

...

That's all I got... :3

Yami: *sighs* -_-' You never have anything... We hope you all enjoy the chapter anyway...

Kitty: Yami, be nice.

Yugi: Bye, guys! *puts in tape*

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 9

Questioned

"I'll help you out," Yami said, waving me towards a random room. "We had to take them out of their cages and put them back here because we're redoing the store," he added.

"You renovate your own store?" I asked, confused as to why he would do that. I knew a lot about being the owner of a store since my grandfather owned a game shop back in Tennessee when I was younger and I had worked in it. Doing your own renovations wasn't a part of it.

Yami seemed to chuckle. "It's not my store. The owners want it redone and asked if I would help. I know a little bit about everything, so I said yes. And they offered to pay me a little extra, so..." he said before shrugging. "I'm not greedy or anything, but it's my own money."

I laughed. "Didn't really picture you as the greedy type either," I said. It was true; Yami seemed to be the type of person to not except help or anything from anyone willingly and wanted to work for his money. I could honor that in a person.

He opened the room, and when I entered, I saw a bunch of cats, and even though I wasn't a cat person, I had to coo at the kittens. "So kitten, right?" he asked as I looked around.

"Right," I said, inspecting the kittens. There were all sorts - from calico to black to white.

"Any particular color or..." Yami hesitated before saying the last word, for reasons I still don't know. "Gender?"

"Female," I said without hesitation. "And she likes black cats..." I laughed to myself as I remembered the first time I had realized some people considered black cats bad luck and asked her why she liked "bad luck kitties." "Um... 'Rasu is a really happy, kinda mellow person..." I added after a minute of thought. I didn't know if that would help Yami, but...

Yami stopped for a moment, almost as if he was trying to decide which cat to show me. He looked around before he spoke. "How do you think your sister would feel about a black and white cat?"

"I mean... She likes cats, so she'd probably love it the same..." I said with a shrug. Yami pulled a cat out and put it in a box while we continued talking about it. Her name was Tiki, and Yami had said she was a sweetheart, but I wasn't too sure about that as I remembered my last experience with cats - other than Midnight, of course. She really was a sweetheart.

After that, Yami led me around the store and grabbed everything he thought I'd need - a lot more than I had expected for a cat - and then walked me home, where he met my mother - God that was embarrassing. He kissed me on the forehead before he left, and Amaterasu came in.

"Who was that?" she demanded as the door shut behind him. I was going to lie and say it was a random person from school, but she glared at me. "And don't you dare lie to me, Yugi Moto. I will hunt him down and ask him who he is myself if you don't tell me right now who he is," she added.

I shivered, knowing she would do just that. "Um... that was... a friend... from school..." I replied, blushing.

Amaterasu glared at me again. "Which friend?" she demanded, walking the rest of the way down the stairs. "Didn't I meet them all?"

"That was Yami, Amaterasu," my mom called from the kitchen, where she was probably baking something. She had told me that Kitty and Nickey were coming over for lunch.

Amaterasu's eyes brightened. "Really?" she asked with a smile on her face. "And why, exactly, did he kiss you?"

I blushed again. "Um..." I muttered, trying to think. Had Yami actually meant what we had said or was he messing around? "He may have... asked me out... I think..."

"What do you mean, 'you think'?" she asked. "He either asked you out or he didn't. Which was it?" Her arms were crossed, and she had a determined look on her face, letting me know she wouldn't back down until she had her answers.

"Well," I said, beginning to retell the story. "I bumped into him, and he helped me out with something then asked me something. I told him I wanted to be his friend. He asked if I meant best friend or boyfriend, and I asked which he'd prefer. Then he kissed me and said boyfriend... I think that classifies as asking me out," I said.

Amaterasu squealed. "I'll have to ask him some questions before you go on your first date," she shouted, entering fangirl mode before running into the kitchen. "MOM, YUGI HAS A BOYFRIEND!" she shouted. I heard crashing and figured mom had dropped her stuff before I ran to my room and locked the door. I happened to have forgotten to put Tiki down before then, so I laid the box on my bed, and she jumped out. When she did, she hissed at and swiped at me, scratching the back of my hand.

"Ow!" I shouted. "What the hell was that for?!" I demanded of the cat. She hissed at me again and jumped on my face. I screamed, and called for my mom, forgetting the door was locked.

When I finally got the cat off of me, I glared at it before going for my iPhone 6S - I would have had the 7, but it doesn't have an earbud place, and I liked blowing my ears out with earbuds while listening to my music - and sent a text to Yami's number. _I thought you said she was a sweetheart! This cat just freaking attacked me! On the face and hand!_ I said, not expecting a response anytime soon since he was at work.

I unlocked my door to see my mom standing there. "Um... Hi, mom..." I said with a blush. She grabbed my ear, and I screamed as she dragged me down the stairs to the living room.

"What did you scream for, Yugi Moto?" she demanded. "That is unacceptable! I was worried you were dying!"

I blushed. "Gomen-nasai," I whispered, using our native language to soften her up. "The kitten I got for Amaterasu scratched me and then clung to my face..." I explained, and she softened up.

"Well, go get cleaned up," she said. "Kitty and Nickey will be here soon, and I don't want them to see you in your running clothes."

I nodded and ran upstairs. Looking through my closet, I pulled out a white shirt with the quote "WTF Where's The Food" written across his chest. I grabbed a pair of slightly tighter jeans and pulled off my tennis shoes to put them on before putting on my black combat boots.

I sat at my desk and started reading a poem for English while I thought about my own poem to write. What would the poem be about...? I wondered. I sighed before coming to a decision. I had always wanted to write a poem about gaining someone's trust, but it had always been difficult. I rolled my eyes at myself. In all honesty, I could have just looked in my notebook. That would have given me a couple of poems that no one had ever seen and that I had written, but would that have been cheating? I then decided against it; the poems in that book were too personal to share with a classroom of strangers.

I shrugged my shoulders and opened one of my favorite books to the page I had stopped at and started reading until someone knocked on my door. I said to come in and was suddenly caught in a hug. "Amaterasu said Yami asked you out!" she squealed. "That's sooooo cute!"

I blushed. "Uh... huh?" I asked. "Yeah, I guess... How did you know I was gay...?" I was suddenly scared she wouldn't like me anymore, but by the way she was hugging me, she was totally fine with it.

Nickey spoke from somewhere in the room, presumably by my door. "It's kind of obvious," she said. "At least, it is when you notice things the way I do."

Kitty let me go and smiled as I turned around. "Nickey noticed how you're always staring at Yami whenever he's in sight, and we both agreed that you're not straight. Maybe bi, but not straight. It was decided that we would let you come out to us in your own time, but Amaterasu told us and then -" Kitty squealed, obviously excited. "Oh I'm just so excited for you!"

I laughed. "Um... Thanks, I guess..." I replied. "You're being very... open minded about this," I added a moment later.

Kitty nodded. "Well, if you don't befriend those of every sexuality, then you're missing out on a friendship with some of the best people in the world. And besides, the first question you ask someone isn't if they're straight. I hate people like that," she said before going into a rant.

A few minutes into Kitty's amusing rant, mom called us for lunch. I smiled, knowing what the chef had made for us. "How do you feel about hamburgers with fries and chips?" I asked.

Kitty looked up and stopped her ranting. "Yugi Moto, you had better not be messing around with me. Hamburgers are the food of the freaking gods," she said.

I smiled. "Finally! Someone with a brain!" I joked. "I've been telling my family that for years, but they don't listen to me!"

Kitty laughed. "Sounds like my family," she said before we walked down the stairs. While we were eating, I got a text on my phone from Yami. _Who is this?_

I rolled my eyes before telling him who it was and received a text back a minute or two later. _Oh. Well, she's never done that before. When I get off, I can come over and check on her if you want..._

I smiled. _That would be fine as long as you don't mind my father questioning you a million and one times. He's super protective of both me and Amaterasu, especially since she started fighting for me when they found out I was getting bullied. He's going to want to make sure you won't beat me up, but you've earned my mom's trust. Dad's shouldn't be too hard since he basically follows whatever mom says..._ I replied before sending another text after remembering that my dad had guests that night for dinner. _Would you be able to stay for dinner? My dad will be having some friends from work over and hates when I invite people over around dinner and they don't stay when these people from work are here._

My mom was shouting my name at that point, causing me to look up. "Well, it's about time. Who are you texting?" she asked.

Kitty looked over my shoulder from her seat to my right. "Yami," she replied. "He's actually kinda cute, y'know? In that 'he's dating one of my best friends and I hope he's as good a person as he looks' type of way," she added. "Anyway, where's your father, Yugi? I haven't met him yet..."

I shrugged. "He's probably at work today. He'll be off around dinner, so he's bringing them here," I said before looking at mom. "By the way, I invited Yami over. He said the thing for the thing isn't usually so mean, so he's gonna make sure the thing is alright."

Mom smiled. "That's great, Yugi," she said. "Your father is going to have a few questions and we will be setting a curfew for you."

I nodded. "Yeah... I kinda figured..." I said before Amaterasu changed the subject.

"So, Kitty, is that your real name or a nickname?" my sister asked as she sat in her seat across from me.

"Oh, it's just a nickname. My real name is Katerina, but our father picked it, and I don't like it. Mama agrees that it's a pretty bad name and let me start using the name Kitty instead," she replied. "It's actually a really good way to have a memorable name. You won't forget someone's name if they're named after an animal, y'know?"

I nodded. "You also can't forget a name from a foreign language," I said. The twins looked at me, Nickey appearing vaguely interested and Kitty downright curious. "Yugi is a Japanese name. It means game, which suits since I have always loved games. Back home, I won every gaming tournament held and became known as the King of Games. That's my bit of fame for the family, but it's not nearly as interesting as 'Rasu's," I answered the unanswered questions.

Amaterasu gave me a look that said that she would kill me before she smiled at Kitty who was asking about her fame. "I was a minor singer back home," she said. "There was this place that I sang at every weekend with a few of my friends playing instruments. It was nothing amazing, but it made me my own money when Daddy wouldn't give it to me."

Kitty nodded. "I've never been interested in singing for money," she said, "but I like to think I'm alright."

I smiled at her, noticing that she was trying to be modest and decided to praise her. "Actually, Amaterasu, Kitty's an amazing singer!" I said. "You should have heard her in choir today. Her voice sounded like an angel's!"

Kitty blushed. "It wasn't that good, Yugi..." she said. "I didn't even realize I was singing out loud..."

I smiled at her, and we continued lunch. Afterwards, I got a text from Yami saying, _Sorry. Had to go do something and got stuck inside my mind for a bit. Um, yeah that's fine I guess. I didn't have any plans for dinner._

I smiled and sent a response before going upstairs. I laid on my bed and wrote a poem for the school, but I wasn't finished with it yet. I was glad that it wasn't due for about two months, since you can't just write that type of thing whenever you want. When I wrote a couple stanzas, I turned to my clock and saw the time. It was about 2:00, and dinner was around ten since my dad had to work late, which I had told Yami. He would be there around 9:30, he said, so I had about seven and a half hours to kill. I decided to turn on my 64" flatscreen TV and catch up on my Disney. Yes, I still watched Disney when I was a junior.

* * *

I was in the middle of an episode of KC Undercover when my doorbell rang. A moment later, Amaterasu was bringing Yami into my room. "Hey, 'Rasu. Out, 'Rasu," I said, getting up, pausing the show, and shutting my door in my sister's face after I pulled Yami in. I smiled at him. "She tends to get creepy when I have friends over since all of my past friends have ended up being jerks," I answered the unspoken question in his eyes.

He nodded. "That's cool," he said. "Where's Tiki?" he added. "She was just fine when I brought her here and she's never scratched anyone before..."

I shrugged before motioning around my room. "Look around. I don't know where the little heathen went," I said.

He looked at me in what looked like shock. "You're letting me search through your room...?" he asked, sounding almost horrified.

I shrugged. "Yeah, why wouldn't I? I mean, it's not like I've got anything to hide," I replied, looking into his blood red eyes.

"A room represents the most ... secretive parts of a person," Yami replied. "You're not supposed to let just anyone go through it."

I tilted my head. "But you're not just anyone," I replied. "And you already know the most secretive part of me..."

Yami shrugged. "What would that be?" he asked as he walked up to me. "Because I don't think I know anything about you that would classify as a 'deep secret', to be honest."

I swallowed, noticing that he was just as close as he had been when we were at the pet store a few hours before. "Um... my... uh... my sexuality...?" I said, although it sounded like a question to me. "I've been picked on numerous times because of it... it isn't deep so much as it is a cause of bullying..."

Yami hummed before pulling away with a nod. "Anyway, I'm willing to bet Tiki was scared and that's why she -" he stopped as he looked at my hand. "What happened?"

I shrugged. "Nothing, Tiki just scratched my hand when I first brought her in. I'll be fine. Midnight accidentally scratched me all the time when she was still here..." I said, sighing at the memory of that lovable black cat.

"Who's Midnight?" Yami asked as he looked around. "Very nice room, by the way," he added.

I smiled, looking around at the large room. It held my TV, two dressers, a brown desk with a black chair, my king-sized bed, and a bunch of shelves filled with games. The walls were a cream color, but I was hoping to paint them within the next couple of months. The floors had a gray carpet that we were going to change to hardwood eventually, and it was already littered with games and clothes even though we'd only been there for a couple of days. "Thanks," I said before moving to sit on my bed and answer his question. "Midnight was my sister's cat. We found her in an alley outside our school when I was in third grade. We were walking home, and Amaterasu heard a cat, so she went and checked it. The poor creature was skinny, dirty, and alone." I let a single tear drop for the cat. "I um... I really connected with the girl. She became my cat more than my sister's, and when she passed... She had cancer..." I said.

Yami pulled me into a hug. "Hey, it's okay..." he said. "But I'm glad you got Tiki. I've been worried about her for so long. What if she was taken into a family that didn't take good care of her? What if she was abused? I know you won't do that," he added, changing the subject a little.

I sniffed and wiped my eye. "Why... why do you care so much for this cat?" I asked. "When you were picking a cat for my sister, you immediately thought of Tiki..."

Yami shrugged. "She reminds me of myself is all. She gets me," he said. "We were both basically abandoned by our parents and left to take care of ourselves..."

"What do you mean abandoned?" I asked. "Don't your parents pay for your schooling?"

Yami tensed up. "Um... well, I mean... I just don't see them very often... Sometimes it's like we don't even live together... You know, not literally abandoning me," he said.

It was clear he was lying, but I let it slide since he seemed uncomfortable talking about it. "That's sad," I said. "Mine have always been here, although there are times when I feel like a disappointment..."

"Why?" Yami asked, looking at me and going around the room, trying to find Tiki. He shouted when he found her and started playing around with her. "She seems fine..." he muttered.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe she just doesn't like me," I said with a shrug. "It wouldn't be a first. Mittens hated me too. But I have to get good grades -" my speaking halted for a minute and I thought of an idea for a poem before I continued speaking "- or they look really disappointed, mama especially... It's just weird..."

Yami nodded. "Look... About what you said the other day..." he began. I tilted my head to the side, wondering what he was talking about. "When you told me you weren't disappointed with me..." Oh... That thing. I blushed; I rarely thought out loud like that... "I just wanted to say thanks. You really made my day..."

I smiled and blushed. "Um... You're welcome..." I said. "I... I rarely actually think out loud like that unless I'm in my room working on poetry... It probably sounded a bit creepy..."

Yami smiled before setting the cat down as my mom called for dinner. "Coming, mom!" I said, feeling my cheeks cool off until Yami kissed one, and they warmed up again. "Gee, thanks," I muttered to him as we left the room. I slid down the staircase to get down them faster and rolled my eyes when Yami took the stairs. What was with him being so proper...?

He smiled at me, and my thoughts moved to how good he looked as I led him to the kitchen, having him sit beside me. "Mom, dad, this is Yami," I said before introducing Yami to the other six or seven people in the room.

Dad held his hand out for Yami to shake. "Hello, my name is Zachariah Moto, this is my wife Akira Moto," he said as Yami took his hand. "You met my daughter, Amaterasu Moro, and, obviously, my son."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Moto," Yami said.

My mom laughed. "Don't be so formal, child!" she exclaimed. "The day you saved my baby boy from those bullies, you became a part of the family. And now that you're dating our son, you don't need formalities. Please, just call me Akita and my husband Zachariah. We don't like feeling old," she said.

I groaned. "Mom, you're doing it again..." I replied before smiling up at Yami. "Don't worry about her; she isn't usually like this. I don't know what's gotten into her unless..." I stopped, looking at my dad. "Daddy dearest," I called him with a mock innocent tone, "how many cups of coffee did mom have before dinner?"

My father sighed, not even bothering to try to lie since I would have pulled the Puppy Dog Eyes of Doom, as my sister had named them (PDED for short), out on him. That was probably the same trick mom used to get him to let her have some coffee. "Um... three or four...?" he answered.

I sighed. "Dad, you know she can't have more than one! She'll never let Yami go home!" I shouted. At Yami's horrified expression, I laughed. "Figuratively, Yami, figuratively. She won't literally keep you here forever."

Yami sighed as our salads were served. "So, Yami, tell me about yourself," Dad said. "For instance, your name is Japanese. You obviously aren't of the nationality. Care to explain?"

Yami chuckled. "It's just a nickname," he said. "I'm Egyptian, but my friend Joey had a weird determination that the love of my life would be Japanese and gave me a Japanese nickname. I prefer this one to my full name, to be honest. It's a much easier way to keep my parents' identity secret since they're Egyptian and Yami is Japanese."

Dad nodded. "Where will you be taking my son for your first date?" he asked. "No clubs until Yugi is 18, unless they're teen clubs with a large group of kids your age. No bars whatsoever."

Yami shrugged. "We haven't talked about it... I was thinking a picnic in the park then a walk, but we can do whatever Yugi would prefer," he said.

Dad's face lightened up a little. "What time will you have him home by?" he asked.

Yami shrugged. "I don't know, sir. By the time you tell me to have him home," he answered.

Dad smiled. "Yugi, this one's a keeper!" he shouted. Dinner went on, and Yami left after it. I went to bed with a smile on my face, glad they were accepting of my new relationship. I smiled at that as I fell asleep.

* * *

Nickey: Wasn't that adorkable! Tiki is lovely.. And oops, Yami almost slipped up a bit there XD

Yugi: No, she's a demonic little heathen! She tried to kill me!

Kitty: I have to say I agree with Yugi here. She tries to kill me everyday!

Nickey: Nah, she's great :D

Yami: You need to go do laps or something...

Kitty: Nah, she's fine.

Nickey: It's okay, it's not like I can get any more hyper... Right? I thought about making brownies later...

Yami: YEAH! BECAUSE YOU NEED THAT!

Kitty: BROWNIES! I tried to make those last night... Neighbors need a new stove...

Nickey: Anyway, we'll see you guys and gals next time! CIAO! :D

Yami: See ya!

Kitty: Bye bye! Also, Tiki and Midnight are my actual cats. Don't take them... And Midnight isn't dead, nor does she have cancer. She is my baby, though...

Yugi: And that's all! See you guys later! Also, don't forget: SHOULD THESE TWO REPLY TO REVIEWS IN CHAPTER OR NOT?


	11. Chapter 10: Artistic Guilt

**Nickey: *waves* What's up everyone? So, Kitty is on vacation, and she gets limited time to the internetz, which is why I took the liberty (without being asked this time) to do the intro! :D**

 **Yami: Yeah... That and she's had enough sugar to kill an elephant...**

 **Nickey: What does that even mean? Why would an elephant have sugar?**

 **Kitty: *totally distracted* Yeah, that's cool...**

 **Yugi: *rolls eyes* I... Don't even know...**

 **Nickey: Anyway, ignore Yami, he's being a douche nozzle...**

 **Yami: O_o What the hell is that?**

 **Nickey: Nevermind! Hope you guys enjoy the chapter, we'll see ya at the outro! :D**

 **Kitty: Yeah, I gotta go somewhere... No clue where... Sometimes, I hate M and her surprises... (This is one of those times)...**

 **Yugi: And... Kitty's making me come, so I have to go...**

* * *

 **The Abused and the Bullied**

 **Chapter 10**

 **Artistic Guilt**

I was walking back to the back of the store when my phone went off. _I thought you said she was a sweetheart! This cat just freaking attacked me! On the face and hand!_

"Yami!" Duke called, pulling me away from my phone.

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me set this glass up here?"

"Yep."

Whoever it was that texted me would have to wait a few minutes. I lifted the glass up, helping Duke set it in the new cage. The cages were meant to display the animals, while keeping small children out of harms way. The old cages would allow kids to stick their hands in, now we were changing that. Four cages later and I remembered the message. _Who is this?_ I texted back, not really having time for guessing games.

 _Yugi. Your boyfriend!_

Right... I gave him my number... Whoops... _Oh. Well, she's never done that before. When I get off, I can come over and check on her if you want..._ I mean... I did recommend the cat, so I kinda felt like it was my responsibility to check on her, and see why she attacked Yugi.

He sent me back a long message about staying for dinner, which I couldn't say no to. I had to go check on Tiki and make sure nothing was wrong with her.. But... I sighed, trying to think of anything and failing.. I wasn't one that liked to intrude on others, it was rude.. But the cat was for his sister..

"Yami" Duke called again. Well, the reply would have to wait.

I walked off to put together more display cages, sitting up shelves for the cats to climb on in their cages. I returned the aviary after I was done, putting the brush to the wall. I still had to reply to Yugi, but, what if his dad asked about my family? What if _he_ asked about my family? I shook my head, I had to go. I'd make it up as I went, I suppose.

 _Sorry. Had to go do something and got stuck inside my mind for a bit. Um, yeah that's fine I guess. I didn't have any plans for dinner._

I swallowed hard as I clocked out, walking my way to the Moto household. I had a feeling that I was in for a hell of a night. I set myself back into Egypt, where manners were a necessity for our family. If we didn't show proper manners or respect, we would be punished for it. Not that I wasn't proper and respectful without thinking about Egypt.. It just helped to calm the nerves a little.

I let out a breath I wasn't aware I'd been holding as I stepped up the front porch steps. I knocked on the door and it wasn't long before it was flung open, a set of sparkling dark blue eyes looking at me. "Hi! I'm Amaterasu, Yugi's older sister!" The girl greeted cheerfully. "You must be Yami!"

"Y-Yeah..."

She grabbed my arm, pulling me in the door. "Come on inside." Not like I really had a choice with the death grip she had on my arm.. "Yugi is in his room. This way~" I was led around like a puppy on a leash, stopping only once we reached the top of the stairs. She knocked on the door and Yugi opened it a minute later. "Hey, 'Rasu. Out, 'Rasu" he greeted, pulling me in the door and shutting it in his sister's face. That was a little rude... "She tends to get creepy when I have friends over since all my past friends have ended up being jerks" he said.

I nodded "That's cool. Where's Tiki? She was just fine when I brought her here and she's never scratched anyone before..."

He shrugged his shoulders, waving his arm out to gesture towards his room "Look around. I don't know where the little heathen went."

My eyes widened slightly, looking between the room and his person. Look around? What? "You're letting me search through your room...?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I? I mean, it's not like I've got anything to hide."

Well, there was one difference in how we were raised.. Bedrooms were meant to be yours and yours alone, holding whatever secrets you had inside them. Granted mine was currently in my living room... "A room represents the most... secretive parts of a person. You're not supposed to let just anyone go through it."

His head tilted to the side, if he were anymore adorable, I'd have to smother him. In kisses of course, because harming him was out of the question. "But you're not just anyone.. And you already know the most secretive part of me..."

I shrugged and started walking towards him "What would that be? Because I don't think I know anything about you that would classify as a 'deep secret', to be honest."

He swallowed hard, struggling to respond without pausing. "Um... my... uh... my sexuality..? I've been picked on numerous times because of it... it isn't deep so much as it is a cause of bullying..."

He seemed nervous when I was up close, so I hummed, backing away a step. "Anyway, I'm willing to bet Tiki was scared and that's why she-" his hand had a scratch on it. "What happened?"

He shrugged like it was nothing, but it looked like it burned. "Nothing, Tiki just scratched my hand when I first brought her in. I'll be fine. Midnight accidentally scratched me all the time when she was still here..."

"Who's Midnight? Very nice room, by the way" I added, looking around for the kitten.

"Thanks," he walked over and sat on his bed before continuing "Midnight was my sister's cat. We found her in an alley outside our school when I was in third grade ..." He continued telling his story, slowing down a pace which caused me to look over at him. A single tear rolled down his cheek, and I stood from the floor, walking over to him. "She had cancer..." he finished, and I wrapped my arms around him.

"Hey, it's okay.." I had to stop the tears before they started... "But I'm glad you got Tiki. I've been worried about her for so long. What if she was taken into a family that didn't take good care of her? What if she was abused? I know you won't do that."

He sniffed, wiping his eye. "Why.. Why do you care so much for this cat? When you were picking a cat for my sister, you immediately thought of Tiki..."

"She reminds me of myself is all." I shrugged "She gets me. We were both basically abandoned by our parents and left to take care of ourselves..."

"What do you mean abandoned?" Shit.. "Don't your parents pay for your schooling?"

I felt myself tense up, I'd let it slip out, even though I'd kept telling myself to shut up! "Um... well, I mean.. I just don't see them very often... Sometimes it's like we don't even live together... You know, not literally abandoning me."

I was busted. I was so goddamn busted! "That's sad" he said. Wait, what? He knew I was lying through my teeth. Yugi wasn't stupid. He.. He just let it go.. Why? "Mine have always been here, although there are times when I feel like a disappointment..."

"Why?" I asked, looking around and finally finding Tiki. "She seems fine..." She pawed at my lips playfully, stopping only to rub her head on my chin.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe she just doesn't like me. It wouldn't be a first. Mittens hated me too. But I have to get good grades" he stopped and I looked over to him, Tiki shoving her face against mine. "Or they look really disappointed, mama especially... It's just weird..."

I nodded. I knew those feels all too well... Of course, my parents were disappointed about my grades... They were just disappointed about me in general... "Look... About what you said the other day..." His head tilted and it was to let me know he didn't know what I was talking about, but it was just too cute. "When you told me you weren't disappointed with me..." I reminded him, his cheeks turning pink. "I just wanted to say thanks. You really made my day..."

The blush grew darker and I was having a really hard time holding back the kisses. "Um... You're welcome.. I... I rarely actually think out loud like that unless I'm in my room working on poetry... It probably sounded a bit creepy..."

His mother called for us, but before we left... I walked over after sitting Tiki down, placing a kiss to his cheek. We walked out and Yugi went sliding down the banister, rolling his eyes when he realized I wasn't going to. Not exactly good etiquette for a guest to go sliding down someone else's stairway...

Dinner went by and I managed to survive the interrogation by Yugi's father. His family was so different.. His father was a business man, yet he didn't seem stressed out.. I didn't know what his mother did, but she was such a kind lady. She wasn't a druggie, his father wasn't an alcoholic... His sister was a sweetheart that seemed like the type to let it roll off her shoulders unless you said something bad about her family.

I bowed my thanks, as per Japanese tradition, and started my walk home, after countless arguments of whether I wanted them to drive me home or not. It was eleven at night, I understood their worries, but I didn't have any. I assured them that I would be fine, and turned to head home, my hands in my pockets.

I arrived home twenty minutes later, starting to work on some of my homework before heading to bed. I had to work in the morning, after all..

ABD

Six a.m., came too soon, but I found myself wide awake and ready to go within ten minutes. I put on my tight, white, v-neck, t-shirt, pulling on a vest that had two buttons, making sure the collar was flattened out like it was supposed to be. I pulled on my black jeans, the white t-shirt hanging out from under the vest, separating the two blacks, my faithful red and black converse on my feet. I slid my belt through the loops before heading out the door, grabbing my keys from the counter, and locking my door.

It wasn't too bad out this morning, and the walk would do me some good. I enjoyed walking, I got places practically unnoticed. My mind wandered while I walked. Why had Yugi just let me lie like that? Why didn't he call me out on it? Yell at me, something...? He wasn't dumb. Yugi knew I had been lying.. His eyes had narrowed, but only for a split second, and only someone who observes as closely as I do would've caught it.

Did he know it made me uncomfortable? But... Why would he spare me, instead of asking, and just letting me lie? Why was he so nice to me? Why was anyone in his family nice to me? Because I saved him from the bullies?

Guilt.. Guilt was eating away at me, and I couldn't deal with it.. I couldn't tell Yugi the truth though... I just couldn't.. I don't want to face the truth.. So...

My thoughts stopped there. I had work to do and I didn't have time to play around with guilt. I wasn't going to tell Yugi the truth about my parents. I refused! I may have hated them, but let them soil their own name without ruining mine. I didn't want to be pitied for what happened. I grew from it, and that's all there was to it.

The litter boxes were changed, more cages assembled, other cages cleaned, animals fed, and by eleven, I was back to work on the aviary. I set up the ladder, leaving the room to go get my paint and floor cover. My second trip out, I was walking backwards with four paint buckets in my hands when a set of arms wrapped around me, squeezing the life out of me. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

I recognized that squeal, unfortunately it was directly in my ear this time. "'Rasu, you're gonna make him deaf... Sorry, she found Tiki" Yugi apologized as I turned around.

"Next time, a heads up would be great" I chuckled.

Yugi grinned sheepishly with a shrug "I said sorry.."

"After I was already deafened by your sister.."

"Right..."

"So" Yugi's father began, looking around the pet store "You work here?"

"Yeah. We're in the middle of renovating.. So, don't judge too harshly."

The boss walked past us, giving me a look and I responded with a sheepish grin of my own. "I have to get back to work.. Did you guys need something, or..?"

"Nope, just came to see you. Daddy wanted to see where you worked at" Yugi responded.

"Well, we can keep talking if you wish, but you'll have to come into the aviary so I can work while we talk. I really don't want my boss mad at me, she's in a mood today..." I walked forward, leading them into the aviary. I sat the remainder of the paint down, standing up and pulling the ladder into position. I sat up my pallet with the colors I would need for the cockatiel flock.

"Wow.. How many of you workers are working on this, Yami?"

I looked to Zachariah, a smile on my face. "Only me."

The family of four looked at me and I chuckled as I climbed the ladder. "I've been working on it since we got the walls up. That was about two weeks ago, and I only work here on the weekends..." I straddled the ladder so I could sit while I painted. It was more comfortable for me. "Carla has pretty much put me in charge of the renovations and making sure they get done.. I won't lie, it's a lot of work. But I've had a lot of fun doing it. The cat cages just got done this morning, so once everything is swept up, they'll be put back out here. The cages for the birds come in next weekend, so those will be put in and I won't have to chase parakeets anymore."

"Its a very lovely mural" Akira commented, looking around the room. "Very colorful."

"Thank you."

They stayed and chatted for a while longer before leaving. I couldn't help but noticed that Yugi stayed behind, watching me paint a little longer. "It really is a lovely painting.." he said after a while. I was sure that he was going to confront me about yesterday.. But he never did.. And it bothered me..

I opened my mouth.. but nothing came out.. 'Tell him, you coward!' My mind kept screaming, but I just couldn't.. I couldn't do it..

"See you tomorrow" he said, he sounded cheerful... I turned around and saw the smile on his face. Part of me wanted to kiss him, while the rest of me just wanted to punch and kick myself..

"Yeah.. See ya.." So stupid... I'm just so stupid.. He left, and I still couldn't say anything.. Unconsciously I continued to paint.. All the while, seeing his face. What had I done? I'd lied to Yugi..

After work I thought about stopping to talk to Yugi. I stopped at the park, looking in the direction of his house as I thought. I couldn't tell him the whole story though.. I sighed, shaking my head as I walked forward, heading home for the night. I had homework to finish, and just wanted to sit down and relax.

I walked into an empty apartment, tossing my keys onto the counter as I looked around. My apartment never bothered me before.. Now I just kept thinking of how empty it was, how quiet it was. How lonely I was...

Homework was fairly simple, and I got done with it quickly. It was ten p.m., and I now had nothing to do but lay down and look up at the ceiling, listening to the silence that surrounded me. I was going to text Yugi, but what would I say? Was he even still awake? He had to get up early tomorrow, while I got to sleep in.. I lay there for a few minutes, the silence ringing in my ears like a bell. I was going to go mad if I didn't do something..

 _Hey. You still up?_

It took a minute for him to respond, and I worried that I had woke him up. _Yeah, I'm awake_.

 _Sorry if I woke you up.._.

 _Not hanging out with your family?_

 _Pft. Yeah.. Right... More like sitting in a room that's too damn quiet.._

This was a bad idea... I should've just went to bed.. Now I was keeping him up... I got up and walked over to my clothes, grabbing a pair of shorts, a hoodie, and my running shoes. I had to do something.. I couldn't sit still.. This would be better than just laying down waiting for sleep to come.

 _They're really never around.. Are they_?

 _It's fine.. I'm gonna go out for a run.. You go ahead and get to bed, you have to get up early tomorrow.._

 _So do you.. You have school tomorrow too._.

 _Yes. But I don't come in until 9. My free period is first period, so I get to sleep in._.

I wasn't lying. I never went in until nine. It gave me a couple extra hours to sleep since I worked every night.

 _Why didn't I do that?_

I chuckled as I read his message. I could almost see the expression on his face as he questioned himself. _I wouldn't know.._

 _Well, weirdo. I'm going to bed._

 _Now I'm a weirdo?_

 _Yeah. I don't know anyone that goes out running at 10:30 at night..._

 _Well... You know me.. I'm also your boyfriend as you liked to point out..._

 _Shut up. Go to bed, weirdo._

 _I'm going running. You go to bed._

 _Where are you running to?_

 _The park... It's the closest place to run to.._

 _Just... Text me when you get home..._

I smiled, not knowing, but sensing how concerned he was about me going out at night. _Yes, mother_ I teased.

 _Shut up._

I grabbed my keys from the counter, heading back out the door for a while. I walked for the most part, just enjoying the breeze. I got up on the brick wall that was attached to the park's entrance gate, sitting there and letting the cool air blow by me. I didn't want to go home.. But, I couldn't keep Yugi awake and have him worrying.

 _Are ypu back home yte?_

I laughed at the text, I couldn't help it. It was funny. _Type much?_

 _Shut up.._

 _No, I'm not. Go ahead and go to bed. I'll head home soon.._

 _It's almost midnight! And it's cold out!_

 _Yugi, I'm fine. It feels good outside._

 _Yami..._

 _I'm okay. I can take care of myself._

He probably didn't realize how literal that statement was.. But it was the truth.. I could take care of myself. I'd done it for almost a whole year now..

"Hmm... Guess I really didn't need anyone" I sighed, looking down at my shoes. A droplet hit my hand, and I immediately checked my eyes. I wasn't crying.. I looked up at the sky, and it was like the dam broke. It started pouring, but I couldn't find it in me to care. I spread my arms out, enjoying the feel of the droplets hitting my face.

I jumped down from the wall, starting my slow walk home. By the time I got through the door I was soaked, even my socks were wet. _I'm home. Now go to bed._

I put my phone on the counter while I went to change. I came back out to a message that I was glad to listen to. _Go to bed. No more going out tonight, it's raining. Goodnight._

I took my phone over to my bed, laying down and plugging it in. _Goodnight, Yugi._

I put my phone on the floor next to my bed, rolling over and falling asleep, the smile never leaving my face.

 **Nickey: Ohhh~ Yeah, I remember this chapter... This is the one where I kept hitting the ctrl button with other buttons and somehow got a gray hi-light stuck at the end of my copy XD**

 **Yami: * laughs * You idiot...**

 **Kitty: NICKEY IS NOT AN IDIOT!**

 **Nickey: What? I was just pushing buttons like I always do... I know shortcut keys, I just miss sometimes XD**

 **Yami: Anyway, we hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and we'll see you next time!**

 **Yugi: Yeah... We're preparing to leave... Makayla was rushing us, but she forgot to get her stuff... Bye peoples!**

 **Kitty: Bye~ *waves with half a glazed donut in mouth***


	12. Chapter 11: Emotion Ocean

Nickey: Whaddup bitches?! * waves *

Yami: Is that necessary every damn time?

Nickey: Yes, yes it is :3

Kitty: I think it's funny... What about you, Yugi?

Yugi: *dazed and out of breath* Sure...

Kitty: Ooo~ Yami and Yugi been busy~

Yami: Anyway-

Nickey: Anyway! Welcome back peeps.. :D

Yami: To chapter 11..

Nickey: And I'm still in charge of intros until chapter 13 :D

Yami: You're also hyper... Again...

Kitty: I love hyper Nickey!

Yugi: That's 'cause you're her Hikari.

Kitty: Oh... Is that why you love a possessive Yami?

Yugi: Definitely~! *long talk about Hikaris and Yamis*

Nickey: But anywho, we hope you enjoy! CIAO!

Yami: *shakes head* Yeah, I'm gonna go make sure she doesn't kill someone...

Kitty and Yugi: *look up* Oh! Bye~!

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 11

Emotion Ocean

I sighed as I laid on my bed Sunday night; Yami had just gotten home, but I was worried about him for some reason. I have didn't have any idea why he had lied to me the previous day; the question had been running through my head. He knew I knew, too; I had felt as if he thought I was going to pry the information from him when we were alone at the pet store. I sighed. Why did people always assume I would do something like that? It was obvious Yami wasn't comfortable, and I was never the type to force someone to talk.

I fell asleep to those thoughts, and when I opened my eyes, it was still dark. My clock said it was 4:00 in the morning. I sighed and got out of my bed. I opened my phone and texted Malik, knowing he was probably up texting his boyfriend. He seemed like the type to do that, but before I got the chance to start typing the message, the doorbell rang. I sighed, rubbing my eyes and walking out of the hall to see that no one else was going to get the door. I tilted my head before walking to my sister's room.

I knocked on the door since I knew she had a habit of staying up late at night to talk to her friends, and when no one answered, I opened the door. The first thing that came to mind was to scream, and I did. Her room was covered in blood, her limbs thrown everywhere in the room. Her white comforter was stained with red blood, and her eyes were glassily looking up at the ceiling. I backed out of the room and ran to my parents, shoving the door open in my panic. Their room was in the same state as Amaterasu's was, and I screamed again.

I ran to the front door, completely forgetting about whoever was on the porch and not really caring about them. When I opened the door, I ran into someone and felt something at my head. I looked up into crimson eyes, swallowed, and screamed.

* * *

I shot up in bed as a scream tore itself from my lips. Amaterasu and my parents were all in my room immediately, my dad with his gun, Amaterasu with her dagger, and my mom with the sword she had inherited from her mother. Seeing no threat, they all lowered their weapons and looked at me in confusion.

"Yugi...?" my sister asked. "Are you okay?" I jumped on her and hid my face in the area between her neck and shoulder and let a few tears run down my cheeks.

"I-I had an aw-awful dream..." I stuttered as she hugged me back. "You were all d-dead... and I was alone..."

My sister patted me on the back, and I could almost feel my dad's and mom's twin glares on her. "We told you not to let him stay up and watch that with you, Amaterasu," mom scolded.

"You know that he's prone to nightmares!" dad yelled. "And I have told you repeatedly not to let him watch horror movies with you!"

I looked up at them and shook my head. "She didn't want to let me," I told them fiercely. "She tried to get me to go to bed, but I had to stay up to make sure Yami got home safely, and that was what was on TV. Don't be mad at her..."

My parents both sighed and came up to hug the two of us. "What time is it...?" I asked after a few minutes of the group hug. My sister pulled her phone out of her pocket and said it was 4:03 in the morning. "Then you all need to go back to bed!" I shouted. "You all have to be at your places in three hours!" I shoved them out of my room before getting myself into my personal bathroom. I sent Yami a text. Yami, are you awake?

It was only a few minutes later when I got a response. Yeah, I ma nwo...

I laughed and smiled. Now who's having typing issues?

Instead of answering in text, Yami called me. "Hey," I said, not having expected that.

"Sorry..." Yami said with a yawn. "The screen was burning my eyes..."

I laughed. "I've never had a screen do that to me. It's always been super dim and acceptable..." I stopped for a minute. "Well, that and I've always slept with my bathroom light on in case I have to go in the middle of the night..."

"Mmm," he hummed. "Well, why'd you call me at four a.m.?" he asked.

I blushed. "I uh... had a nightmare and wanted to make sure you were alright..." I replied.

I could hear Yami's shock when he spoke. "You had a nightmare... And wanted to make sure I was alright...?" he asked. I answered in the positive and pulled out my toothbrush so I had it out when I finished my shower. I brushed my hair after putting the phone on speaker so I could use both hands. "What was it about...?" I explained the dream, and the two of us talked until he ended up falling asleep. I smiled at the sound of his soft, even breathing before hanging up the phone and climbing into the shower, turning the hot water all the way up.

When I finished, it was nearing 7:05, so I ran out the door, well aware that everyone else was asleep, to meet up with Malik and Ryou and eat breakfast at a cafe on school grounds. I ran to the school, pacing myself so that I was barely panting when I got there, and I saw Malik and Ryou entering the gates.

"Guys!" I shouted, running faster to catch up with them. They stopped and waved at me. "Hey," I said. "What's up?"

Ryou smiled but didn't say anything; I had found out that he was kind of shy around large groups of people like the one around us and only spoke when directly spoken to.

Malik grinned at me, pushing his blonde hair behind his ear. "Not much. We were gonna wait for you, but now we're going to the cafe," he said before running away. "Race you!" he shouted.

I smirked and gave him a few second head start. "Watch this," I told Ryou right before I took off, passing Malik and running to the cafe, arriving before him. "I win," I said when he got there.

"What the hell?" Malik gasped. "How are you not panting? And how the hell do you run so fast?"

I smiled at him. "I've been running for my whole life. At first, it was a way to clear my mind. Then, it was a survival skill when I was being bullied and a way to clear my mind at the same time. Now, since we moved here, it's been a way to clear my mind again," I answered. "I also know how to pace myself so that I can get where I want to go at a faster speed and still not be panting."

We entered the cafe and ordered breakfast, Malik reciting his and Ryou's orders effortlessly and suggesting things to me while his and Ryou's was being made. The waitress came back and took my order then came back a third time with all three orders. Malik, Ryou, and I talked until we had to get to class or chance being late.

* * *

Gym couldn't come soon enough, but when it did, I ran there, excited to be able to hang out with Yami for at least a class period. I met up with Ryou and practically dragged him to class.

"Whoa!" he shouted, his British accent sounding cute when he was shocked. "Yugi, are you nuts?! Ow! My arm hurts! Why are you so excited?"

I blushed and slowed down, letting go of Ryou's arm. "Sorry, Ryou," I muttered. "But um... gym is my favorite class, so..."

Ryou glared as if suspecting something but didn't say anything as we walked to gym, arriving right before the late bell. I walked into the gym and smiled as I saw Yami leaning against his locker, talking to Joey. He smiled at me, and I started talking to Ryou.

After I got dressed, I looked over and noticed Yami asleep with his gym uniform on and rolled my eyes. "Hold that thought for a second, Ryou," I said to him before walking up to Yami and Joey - who was trying to wake Yami up. I took Yami by the shoulders and shook him a little, becoming slightly more violent with each shake. People were staring at me, but I didn't really care.

Yami looked up and locked eyes with mine before yawning. "How'd you get in my house...?" he asked half asleep.

At that point, I lost it and doubled over in laughter, my sides hurting. I fell and landed in Yami's lap, his arms wrapped around me and his face buried in my hair as he chuckled. "I didn't know you lived at school," I teased him.

He chuckled. "Neither did I," he joked back; I felt the whole room staring at me, and I sighed and leaned against him. "Your friend is looking at you like you've lost it..." he said.

I looked over at Ryou, who was indeed looking at me like I was crazy. I smiled and waved, getting off of Yami's lap and walking to my friend. "Yeah, so I see. I'm gonna go make sure he'll be okay. Are you gonna eat lunch with us?"

He smiled and nodded, also standing up and giving me a hug. "Of course," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Anything to spend more time with you."

I blushed and walked away towards Ryou, blushing as I reached him. "So... you're probably wondering what that was all about..." I said, receiving a nod in return. "He may or may not have asked me out over the weekend..."

Ryou's eyes widened. "He what?" he demanded. "Yami Sennen asked you out?" I nodded. "Yugi, do you know how many people have been trying to get him to ask them out since he came here?"

I shook my head but took a guess. "A lot...?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yes!" Ryou shouted. "Practically every girl - and a few guys as well - here has tried to get him to go out with them!"

I blushed, looking over at Yami to see him looking at us. "Ryou, keep it down," I whined. Looking back at Yami, I mouthed the words "help me" at him.

He left Joey and walked up to us, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Hey, Ryou, is it?" Yami asked, receiving a shocked nod from my friend. "Well, look here for a second. Only I get to make Yugi blush. That pleasure is all mine..." he nuzzled my neck after he spoke and I blushed.

"That is so~ not what I meant, and you know it," I said to him as the coach called us into the gym. "We'll talk about this later," I growled at Yami.

* * *

Lunch came, and Joey and Yami both joined Ryou, Malik, and me for lunch. Nickey, Kitty, and Mai then found us and sat down to eat with us. I had to notice Mai occasionally glaring at Yami as I leaned against him, noticing that he was half asleep.

"You look disgusting," Nickey commented, looking at Yami with a judgmental eye.

"Well, fuck you too," Yami replied with a half stifled yawn as he slouched forward.

Nickey glared at him. "I'm being serious, Sennen. You look like shit and slept through art class," she said.

"Well, that's probably because I got barely any sleep," Yami commented, holding me tighter.

"Sorry..." I muttered, snuggling closer to him as Mai ate a tuna sandwich.

"Yugi, if you don't shut the fuck up, I will punch you in the throat," Yami replied. His arms were around my shoulders as we sat, meaning I was in his lap with him leaning against me.

Nickey's eyes narrowed again before they went back to their natural shape. "Why didn't you just say something?" she asked, digging through her lunch box. "Here."

She was holding an energy drink out to Yami, and smiled. "Drink it. It should wake you up."

Kitty laughed, leaning against her sister. "Ni-chan drinks those all the time. She only gets like three hours of sleep a night, if that," she said. Yami drank the drink and made a face at the flavor of it, causing Nickey to snort. "If you can't drink that whole thing, then you're more of a bitch than I thought." Yami began drinking the drink, and it was gone within a minute.

Ryou stayed quiet the whole time, only speaking when Bakura reached for my backpack. "Bakura, if you dare try to take anything from Yugi, I will smack you upside the head," he threatened, causing Bakura to pull back and us to laugh. "Now apologize," Ryou ordered. Bakura did so, albeit quietly, and Yami laughed.

I hit him on the head and he whined. "Why'd you do that...?" he complained, rubbing his head.

"There is no need to laugh at your cousin, Yami Sennen," I scolded. "One of these days you're going to be the one apologizing when you don't want to, and he's going to laugh."

"So, Yugi," Malik said, gaining my attention before Yami could reply. "What's your type again?"

I smiled at him and looked at Yami out of the corner of my eye to see him staring at me with curiosity. "Well, I like people who make me coffee, are hot, make me laugh, and are human," I joked.

Yami smirked. "Looks like I need to become a barista," he said. "Will that do it for you?"

I turned my expression into my naturally thoughtful one. "Well, I do like my hot chocolate and sweets..." I said, acting like I was completely serious before walking away, winking at Ryou and Malik, who both laughed.

Yami, seeing them laughing, shook his head as I walked backwards. "Don't be a smart ass!" he shouted.

I smiled at him. "I'm not, though..." I said. "I'm smart and have an ass, but never will I be a smart ass," I joked, turning around and walking off.

"And what a nice ass it is!" he called after me. I blushed but kept walking at the same pace, muttering under my breath. Yami eventually caught up to me and grabbed my arm. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked, turning me around.

I blushed, noticing how close to me he was; there was probably less than three inches of space between us. "Y-yeah, I'm fine..." I said with a slight stutter. "Why wouldn't I be...?"

He shrugged. "You just walked off," he said, leaning against the wall beside us.

I smiled at him. "I have to turn something into one of my teachers," I said. "I don't think Malik would have let me walk off without reason..."

Yami's cheeks turned a light pink, and I had to resist the urge to cue. "I was being serious though," he said. "When I said that..."

I felt my cheeks warm up a little. "Yeah... I kinda figured that out," I said.

He smiled. "Would you like to allow me to walk you to your teacher's class? The bell should ring in a few minutes," he said.

I smiled. "I would love that..." I said.

* * *

During math, Yami and I were texting each other, and I was texting my sister and Malik at the same time. Yami was texting someone else. I was trying to hold in my laughter when the teacher called me. "Mr. Moto, will you please answer the question on the board?" she asked.

I scanned the board and immediately gave off the answer. "Yes, Mrs. Freak, I can," I answered, causing the whole class to chuckle at her last name. "579." The class stared in awe, along with the teacher.

"How did you do that...?" the kid beside me asked.

I shrugged. "All stuff I learned about a year ago," I answered. "May I go back to what I was doing now?" I asked the teacher. She nodded and continued her teaching, and my phone buzzed. What the hell Yugi! How did you do that? Yami asked.

I smiled across the class at him before answering. I used to do all the money and stuff for my father. I got really good at math, and it helps that I learned this stuff with exponents last year.

He sent me a smiley face emoji, and we continued texting until the bell rang, the teacher not calling on either of us. Yami came up to me after class while I was getting my stuff ready. "I'm walking you to class," he announced, and I rolled my eyes.

"And who says I want you to walk me to class?" I asked. I turned around and blushed when I noticed that he was inches away from me. Again. Why did he do that? He just liked making me blush. "Stop it," I said.

"Stop what?" he asked, acting as if he didn't know what I was talking about as he took half a step closer to me.

"Th-that," I replied, my voice rising slightly in pitch. "Getting so close..." My blush deepened even more as he leaned forward to gently kiss me on the cheek.

"Fine. I won't walk you to class," he said. "But you better walk with Nickey. She's the only person in this school that worries me enough to allow me to protect you."

I rolled my eyes before pushing him away lightly. "I planned on it. Now go to your next class," I told him, walking out the door. I met up with Kitty and Nickey, and we walked to Japanese.

* * *

Science came sooner than I had expected, and I sat in my seat next to Yami. "So how's your day been?" I asked with a sigh as I pulled out my own personal notebook.

He sighed. "Long," was his answer as he pulled out his science notes. "Marik's been messing with me lately, and it's exhausting. And then people have been complaining about how they're better than you and pudding me off," he added, going into further depth.

I nodded, wondering if I had heard him right about the pudding thing and thinking about the people who had been muttering something about how they were so much better than me all day, but I had just ignored it. "Yami, what they think doesn't matter," I told him, rubbing his back as he laid his head in his hands, looking exhausted. It was then that I noticed his fidgeting. "Are you... okay...?" I asked him.

"Nope," Yami said. "I am not. I think my heart might explode..." I stared at him, and he looked at me as if he was serious. "If I fall face forward, you need to be worried and call the cops..."

I nodded. "Got it... I'll watch for that," I told him. The teacher walked in just then at the same time as Yami's phone buzzed.

There was a picture of my cousin with the heart emoji and the words Dude, this chick is sooo hot...

I rolled my eyes. "Does he realize that Mai is my cousin and I could just hook them up...?" I asked in a whisper. Yami shrugged and then sent a text asking that question. The answer was negative and Yami rolled his eyes.

I went back to my notebook and tried working on the poem for English with little success, instead ending up drawing on the page. What started off as a sketch became a detailed picture of me holding two halves of a heart with the words "So there's the door, And here's your bags/I've been packing them all week/I know you think I'll turn my cheek/And believe you when you say that this can work/But the truth is you'll just break my heart/Crumble it in the dirt/Not if I break yours first. ~Katie Armiger, Break Yours First" written around the outline of it.

I felt Yami looking at it and blushed as he stared. "Damn, Yugi..." he muttered. "That's a really good picture... Why the hell aren't you in art?"

I shrugged as I felt my blush darken. "I don't like showing my art work to many people..." I muttered. "I view it as a personal part of me, and I wouldn't be able to do very well if it was an assignment. I'd lose all talent I had and possibly even die..."

* * *

The rest of the day went by without incident, and I woke up Tuesday morning with a slight headache. I rolled out of bed to see that it was 5:33 and started my daily routine of getting dressed. I jogged to school after and sat down in one of the cafes after ordering a bagel and a hot cocoa. The food was brought to me, and I started eating. It was relatively cold outside, and I wasn't in the mood for freezing. Neither Ryou or Malik showed up at the cafe - probably because it wasn't the one we'd gone to the previous day - and I was fine with that. I needed some time to think.

My thoughts went to Yami first. I wanted to know why he had felt the need to lie to me about his parents and if he would ever explain it to me. I sighed as it started drizzling outside, my thoughts moving back home. I missed seeing the rain. In Tennessee, it would pour so often, and every time it did, I went and danced in it like a little kid.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the bell at some point, and I got up and ran for the building my first period was in. Malik was already in the room when I got there, so I waved at him as I took my seat beside him. "Hey," I said, pulling out the same notebook I had drawn in the day before.

"Hey yourself," Malik said. "Where were you at breakfast? We found your cousin, and she said you probably just needed some time alone, so Ryou wouldn't let me look for you."

I smiled at him, happy that he cared enough to worry before the question of whether or not he was only faking because of my money popped into my mind. "I was fine. I just needed to sit alone for a few minutes and sort through my thoughts. I got up late this morning, so I couldn't do it there." He nodded. "Thank you for asking, though."

Malik smiled. "It's not a problem. I like to know if anyone's beating the shit out of my friends so I can beat the shit out of them, and you're one of those friends," he replied before the teacher started class and I began drawing.

"What're you drawing?" he asked, looking at my desk.

I smiled over at him. "A picture based on the chorus of one of my sister's favorite songs," I answered. "It should be done before lunch, so I'll show it to you then."

Malik nodded, looking towards the front of the classroom and talking quietly to me all through the class while I worked on this one.

* * *

Lunch came, and the picture was finished as I had predicted. True to my word, I showed Malik the picture, and he was speechless. It was one of my better ones since it was my gift for my sister's birthday. It was a picture of the singer on her knees, head thrown back and tears rolling down her face as she shut her eyes tightly. In the background, there was a broken glass lying on the ground, and in the top right corner there was a broken heart. Around the singer, the words "I scream at the top of my lungs/Yeah I come undone/I crash like broken glass when no one's around/I cry out/In the silence I can't take/To cover the sound it makes/When I let my heart break ~Katie Armiger, Scream."

No one who was looking at the picture seemed to be able to speak, and after a few minutes, all my friends were praising my work. "Yugi, this is amazing!" Ryou exclaimed gently.

Malik was still speechless, but when he pulled out of it, he smiled. "Damn, Yugi, your work could rival some of the ancient Egyptian artwork in the museum!" he exclaimed.

Before I could answer, I saw Yami talking to some girl out of the corner of my eye and walked up to him with a smile. He eyed me and wrapped and arm around my waist, pulling me to his side. "Hey, I'm Yugi. Who are you...?"

"Téa, Téa Gardner," the girl answered, looking down her nose at me as if she was a queen and I was a peasant. I immediately didn't like her. "Now, answer me. What does Yugi's have that I don't have?"

The group had walked up behind me, and Marik groaned. "Here it goes..." he muttered, glaring at Téa.

Yami glanced me up and down before answering. "Well, he's got me," Yami replied. "And a dick... Unless you're hiding one of those under that skirt of yours. And class, because he sure as hell doesn't act like a slut. Oh! And he also has my number. And I'm gonna tell you now; he call any time, any day, and everyday if he wants," Yami replied, tightening his grip on my waist. "Now, go the fuck away before I embarrass you in front of everyone..."

Seeing Yami was getting mad and that the girl wasn't about to walk away, I tugged on his arm. "Yami, come on," I said. "She isn't worth it..." I turned to our friends and smiled. "Yami and I are going on a walk. We'll see y'all later."

Joey looked like he wanted to say something, but he stopped when Kitty elbowed him in the stomach. "Don't even," she said. "Yugi will be able to do this just fine on his own."

I walked away, half dragging Yami behind me until there was no one around to hear us. I turned towards him and glared. "What the hell was that, Yami?!" I demanded.

"What was what?" Yami asked, still looking angry.

I feared he was going to take that anger out on me but stood my ground, refusing to move away from him. "Don't you think you went a bit overboard?" I asked him. "It wasn't necessary for you to be so mean!"

Yami looked slightly regretful, and I relaxed my own shoulders a little. "Look, I'm sorry. I just got sick of people talking about you and couldn't hold that in anymore..." he said.

I sighed. "Yami, relax. It isn't bothering me, so don't let it bother you," I told him. "Besides, I've been through a lot worse than that, and the only opinion that matters is mine and yours."

Yami's hand made its way up to my cheek. "I'm not like you, Yugi. I'm not perfect, and I can't ignore it..." he said. "I'm sick of everyone talking bad about you... Saying that they're better than you and that I'm better than you... It isn't true..." I could see tears forming in his eyes and tried to get him to stop by calling his name, but he ignored me. "They're all saying you don't deserve me... and it's not true... and it's not fair... I'm the one that doesn't deserve you... and I'm sorry..."

"Yami, just shut up, you big idiot..." I said, pulling him into a seated position and rubbing his back while I hugged him. "No one is perfect; I have my flaws, too. I take pride in mine though because they make me feel human," I told him. "For instance, I'll be loyal to my friends, even if it means the end of the world. I'll die a million and one times if Amaterasu will just look my way. I'll do anything to make my mom proud of me."

Yami sighed and rubbed his eyes as he pulled me to him, and we stayed like that until math ended, me not caring if I skipped just one class and Yami just sitting there, not seeming to care.

* * *

Nickey: *pinches Yami's cheeks* Wook at yew bein aww adorkable and shtuffs :3

Yami: *swats at Nickey* get. off. me.

Kitty: He was cute wasn't he?

Yugi: Yami cried~

Nickey: It was adorable though... And lots of fluffs :3

Kitty: I love the fluffiness~! Also, does anyone have Kaiba's number...?

Yami: You guys are jerks...

Yugi: *kisses Yami* You love us anyway.

Nickey: Anyway, we'll see you guys next time! :D Have a wonderful fruitful day! :D *waves*

Yami: *laughs* Fruitful?

Kitty: Fruitful is a word Yami.

Yugi: *eating a salad* Bye~


	13. Chapter 12: Zombified

Nickey: * waves * Sup hoes and toads!

Yami: NICKEY! You can't just call people names like that...

Nickey: * shrugs * I'm running on very few hours of sleep this week, Yami... I wouldn't push your luck unless you want a fire poker to the eye socket...

Yami: * zips lips *

Kitty: That sounds like fun! Can I try?!

Yugi: Go ahead. I don't like him very much right now. *glares at Yami*

Kitty: Poor Yugi... Do you wanna hug? *Yugi nods**hugs him**looks at Nickey* See? He thinks hugs make the world better!

Nickey: Anywho, someone forgot to update four times in a row... Not saying any names...

Kitty: Yeah, Yugi. Why'd you do that?

Yugi: ME?! I'm sorry, but I was in the middle of ignoring a dumbass on the other side of the room!

Kitty: *scoffs* Who else could it have been? *ignores glare from Yugi*

Nickey: But, I suppose I can forgive them... So, ON TO CHAPTER 12! :D

Yami: Hope you enjoy!

Kitty: Before I say bye, in case you didn't read my profile, Nickey says we have to slow updates back down. She thinks we're catching up to ourselves; I say not. But eh. You guys will live with one update a week! BYEEEEEEE!

Yugi: *ignoring Yami, who's trying to talk to him**dancing around room, slides DVD into player* ENJOY, LOVELY READERS!

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 12

Zombified

Getting into bed was one thing... Falling asleep, was proving to be a completely different story.. I'd told Yugi I was going to bed. It wasn't a lie, I was planning on coming home, getting in my pajamas, brushing my teeth, and going to bed.. My mind had other plans... I kept thinking back to Yugi. Guilt continued to pull at my mind, but I wouldn't tell him. I couldn't tell him.. And now it seemed he wasn't going to pry, which made me feel even worse...

To make matters worse, I could almost hear the rumors that would start tomorrow. I didn't care though.. I was going to make it known that I wanted to be with Yugi. Being with Yugi was my choice. Sure, the way I asked him out wasn't the best of ways... But..

I really had to apologize for that... That was a shitty way to ask someone out..

I passed out somewhere around three in the morning, getting into a good sleep.

A beeping sound went off, causing me to open my eyes, a bright light making itself known. I picked up my phone, unlocking it and immediately regretting it as my eyes started to water. "Dammit" I grumbled, quickly turning my brightness down. Yami, are you awake?

Yeah, I ma nwo I responded, not catching the typos in my daze. I blinked as I looked around, looking back at my phone screen to discover I'd only slept an hour.

Now who's having typing issues? I could almost see the smile behind the screen. "Damn heathen.." I chuckled, clicking the call button so my eyes could stop burning.

"Hey.." he answered, clearly not expecting me to call him.

"Sorry" I silently cursed when a yawn slipped out, helping me a little to wake up. "The screen was burning my eyes..."

"I've never had a screen do that to me. It's always been super dim and acceptable..." He paused for a minute, and I blinked to stay awake. Obviously he texted me because he needed something, I wasn't going to pass out without making sure he was okay. "Well, that and I've always slept with my bathroom light on in case I have to go in the middle of the night..."

"Mmm," He could tell me about anything, and I would listen... His voice was so soothing. But, I had to find out what was going on that would make him call me this early in the morning. "Well, why'd you call me at four a.m.?"

"I uh... had a nightmare and wanted to make sure you were alright..."

I sat up at that, he had had a nightmare? Did I cause that? "You had a nightmare... And wanted to make sure I was alright...?"

"Mhm" he hummed in response..

I chuckled lightly "Well... Aside from burning eyeballs, I'm alright" I joked, laying back on my pillows.

His laughter rang like bells, and even though I was tired, I couldn't help but want to hear more of it. We kept talking for a while, him explaining his nightmare, which turned out to be very gruesome, and time flying like a bird in open air. I could tell he turned me on speaker as the sound wave coming back started sounding more echoed. "What are you doing?" I asked, curious about what he was doing at five a.m.

"Well, I can't sleep anymore, so I'm getting ready for school.."

"Yugi... It's five in the morning.."

"We've been on the phone for a while, huh..?"

"You're the real weirdo here... I just want you to know that..." I yawned again, and it was proving harder to keep my eyes open.

"Why am I the weirdo now?"

"Because it's five... You don't even go to school until seven..."

"And you don't?"

"Nope. I don't go in until nine..."

"How is that?"

"Free period, first period..."

"Why didn't I think of that?"

I laughed, I couldn't help it. I was tired, and Yugi was just so entertaining. "I wouldn't know..." He got quiet, and it gave me time to think. "You look good with your hair pulled back.." I blurted out.

"What?" He yelped, his voice going up a pitch in surprise.

"You look good with your hair pulled back" I repeated, chuckling at his tone.

"You really are a weirdo" he said, his voice letting me know he was holding his laughter in.

"I'm not a weirdo... I'm being serious.."

"Go to bed, Yami.."

"I'm not tired, Yugi" I mocked, not able to stop the yawn that followed.

"He says as he's unable to stop yawning..."

"Shuddap..."

Our conversation stopped, and I felt myself slipping to sleep, my phone still in hand. Unfortunately my peaceful slumber didn't last long.. Once again, an unpleasant sound woke me from my sleep. I lifted my phone to find it was six in the morning, and work was calling..

"Sennen" I answered, listening to the frantic voice on the other end. "Give me twenty minutes" I yawned. "And have some coffee ready.." I hung up the phone and stood up. I packed my school uniform into my backpack, grabbing my work uniform and heading to the bathroom. The shower was cold, but it was what I needed to wake up.

I pulled on my uniform, tucking my shirt in and clipping my visor to my belt loop. I pulled on my hoodie, rolling up my apron and putting it in my hoodie pocket. I grabbed everything I would need and began my walk in the direction of Maji Burger.

"Morning Sennen" my boss greeted, looking as cheerful as ever.

"Morning.. So.. What does this mean for my afternoon hours?"

"Are you not going to work this afternoon?" He acted very confused..

"I would like to go home after school and have at least an hour or two to nap... I've slept two hours, and that's all I got.. Now I'm working six to nine... I'd like to have a little sleep before working my regular hours, since I'm covering for someone else..."

"I'll cover you two hours.. three to five. Then you work five to ten.. Deal?"

"That'll do.. Thanks."

I went back to work, drifting off at some point and waking up to an egg being stuck on the ceiling, and my face almost hitting the stove. "Whoops..." I looked up at the egg, hoping that no one would look up and notice that. If they did, well.. Wasn't me..

ABD

Nine rolled around and I was heading towards the spot where I met Joey so we could walk to school, already having changed so he wouldn't see my work uniform. "Morning, Joe" I greeted as the blonde walked up.

"Mornin', Yam... Did you sleep at all? Ya look like ya haven't slept a wink.."

"Good to see you too, Joe..."

"Sorry..."

I shook my head as we started our walk. "So.. I uh... Hm.. Y'know how Friday you told me that Yugi and I made a cute couple?"

"Yeah, I remember it... It was true. And Yug's a cool dude... What about it?"

"Well... I asked him out this weekend..."

"Ya did!?" He cheered, wrapping his arms around me. "An'? He said yeah, di'n't he?"

"Yeah.. He said yeah..."

"So the two of ya are datin'? Is that why you're so tired?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me and I rolled my eyes.

"No Joey.. Although, he did have a nightmare last night, and called me at four in the morning... Well.. I called him, he texted to check on me.."

"D'awww, he was worried 'bout ya.."

"Yeah.. Yeah he was.."

"Ya make it sound like there's a problem.."

"I just... I dunno if I'm ready to hear any rumors that'll spread around school... If someone talks bad about Yugi.. I just... I dunno if I could handle that."

Joey grabbed me and pulled me closer to him, my eyes widening slightly. I opened my mouth to say something but he stopped me, pointing at the giant metal light pole I had almost run into. "Ya gotta wake up, man... 'Is ain't good fer ya.."

"I guess so" I sighed, continuing walking.

"But" Joey interrupted, earning my attention back. "Y'know I'm not gonna let someone just run their mouths about Yug'... Right? I like the guy, he's nice, and I think 'e's good fer ya... So I won't let 'im be picked on.."

"Thanks, Joe..."

"Yeah, yeah, now let's get to school, class'll be startin' soon.."

I chuckled as we continued our walk, his arm over my shoulder and a grin on his face. "Hey, Joe.."

"Yeah?"

"Yugi's Japanese..."

The laughter that rang out was contagious, and we looked insane as we walked into the school. I was too tired to care though, and really just wanted a nap.. We got into gym and got changed, I decided to have a seat on the bench, leaning against the lockers so maybe I could rest. Joey decided to chat my head off while I sat there though, so sleep was looking unlikely. I looked over and smiled at Yugi as he walked in, turning my attention back to Joey as he continued to talk.

Joey's voice stopped, and I slowly drifted off. It felt so good to just close my eyes and rest. I was so tired. Moments later I was being shook awake. I opened my eyes to see Yugi standing over me. "How'd you get in my house...?" I asked, still attempting to wake up.

He doubled over laughing, landing in my lap. I chuckled realizing what I'd said. I buried my face in his hair, shaking my head to erase the embarrassment. "I didn't know you lived at school" he teased through his laughter.

"Neither did I" I joked back. His friend and some other students in the room were looking at us like we'd lost our goddamn minds. I wasn't far from that statement, but Yugi was just laughing at my expense, and I didn't mind it. "Your friend is looking at you like you've lost it..."

"Yeah, so I see. I'm gonna go make sure he'll be okay. Are you gonna eat lunch with us?"

I smiled and nodded, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and putting my feet out to either side of him. "Of course. Anything to spend more time with you."

I let him go and he turned with a blush on his face, walking back towards his friend. I turned back to Joey, not wanting to pry in the conversation. "Yes! Practically every girl – and a few guys as well – here have tried to get him to go out with them!"

I looked over to see that blush back on Yugi's cheeks as he looked at me. What was that doing there? I was the only one allowed to do that. "help me" he mouthed and I was all too happy to help. I walked away from Joey, wrapping my arm around Yugi's waist as I reached him. "Hey, Ryou, is it?" He stiffened a bit and nodded, wonder what was up with that. "Well, look here for a second. Only I get to make Yugi blush. That pleasure is all mine..." I hummed as I nuzzled his neck, and I could feel his cheeks heat up once again.

"That is so~ not what I meant, and you know it." he said, getting interrupted by the coach calling for us. "We'll talk about this later" he growled, and I had the sinking feeling that I'd done something wrong.

ABD

The day felt like it was dragging on, and all I wanted to do was sleep. Staying awake was becoming a chore, and by the time lunch came around, all I wanted to do was sleep. I walked over to the tree Yugi and his friends were sitting at. I propped myself up against the tree and started to drift off, Yugi sitting between my legs and leaning against me. I wasn't sure if he was trying to keep me sitting up, or if he just wanted to lean against me.

"You look disgusting" the older sister said, Nickey, I remembered.

"Well, fuck you too" I told her, holding back a yawn as I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around Yugi's shoulders. I was just so~ tired. I just wanted to sleep.

"I'm being serious, Sennen. You look like shit and slept through art class."

I was already in art? What period did that happen? "Well, that's probably because I got barely any sleep" I grumbled, tightening my hold on Yugi.

"Sorry..." He said for the hundredth time that day.

"Yugi, if you don't shut the fuck up, I will punch you in the throat" It wasn't his fault that I was tired. He had let me go back to bed, work however, had other plans... I closed my eyes as I leaned against him, he knew I wouldn't really punch him, but I was sick of hearing sorry from him. It wasn't his fault. Of course, he didn't know about Maji Burger... So.. That was a whole thing...

"Why didn't you just say something?" Nickey asked, earning my attention on her as she rummaged through her lunch box. "Here." She held out an energy drink and smiled, though I felt like that smile was one of the scariest ones I'd ever seen. Not that it looked scary, it's just... Nickey was the kind of girl you don't expect to smile unless she has something up her sleeve... "Drink it. It should wake you up."

The younger one – Kitty – laughed, leaning back against her sister. "Ni-chan drinks those all the time. She only gets like three hours of sleep a night, if that."

I opened the can and took a drink, making a face as the green apple flavor made itself known. It was kind of like drinking a freshly opened can of pop that's been in the fridge for a few days. Nickey snorted and I looked back over at her. "If you can't drink that whole thing, then you're more of a bitch than I thought." That was it. It was like a switch flipped and the challenges between the two of us started. I tipped back the can and didn't put it down until it was empty. I coughed a bit, not liking the flavor at all. I could handle cinnamon, and all sorts of hot stuff, but sour was not my strong suit. I didn't know if I was more afraid of Nickey now, or if I was more happy that she was one of Yugi's friends...

Bakura tried to steal from Yugi – the king of thieves – as he was known in Egypt. Unfortunately it seemed Ryou was always watching, where he wasn't. "Bakura if you dare to try to take anything from Yugi, I will smack you upside the head. Now apologize."

My smile turned to laughter at Bakura's silent apology. A hand met the back of my head and I looked over to the one who did it. "Why'd you do that...?" I whined, rubbing my head.

"There is no need to laugh at your cousin, Yami Sennen" uh oh, he pulled out the first and last name. I was in trouble. "One of these days you're going to be the one apologizing when you don't want to, and he's going to laugh." Yeah, because that hasn't happened already...

"So, Yugi" Malik said, stopping my reply. "What's your type again?"

I looked at Yugi to hear his answer, a smile spreading across his face. "Well, I like people who make me coffee, are hot, make me laugh, and are human" he said, and I could hear the joke in his voice.

I smirked in retaliation "Looks like I need to become a barista. Will that do it for you?"

He looked up thoughtfully, and my smirk turned into a smile as I waited on his answer. "Well, I do like my hot chocolate and sweets..." His face was completely serious as he stood up and started walking away.

His two friends started laughing, so I knew he was just teasing once again. "Don't be a smart ass!"

He turned and continued forward, walking backwards. "I'm not, though... I'm smart and have an ass, but never will I be a smart ass" he joked, turning back around to face where he was going.

"And what a nice ass it is!" I yelled. He kept walking, and I was wondering what was wrong. Was he mad? He didn't seem mad... I got up and ran after him, catching up and grabbing his arm. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked, turning him around.

We were once again chest to chest, barely any room between us. I just liked being close to him, it let me see his eyes better. "Y-yeah, I'm fine... Why wouldn't I be...?"

"You just walked off" I shrugged, leaning against the wall.

He smiled and I felt relieved. "I have to turn something into one of my teachers. I don't think Malik would have let me walk off without reason..."

I was still feeling pretty tired, but how much more adorable would he look if he had a blush on his face? I felt my own cheeks heat up a bit as I thought of my next comment and let it out. "I was being serious though... When I said that..."

My plan had worked, and his cheeks lit up. "Yeah... I kinda figured that out."

I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. "Would you like to allow me to walk you to your teacher's class? The bell should ring in a few minutes."

"I would love that" he said, a smile going across his face.

ABD

Math class proved to be entertaining. Yugi and I had been texting, Joey blowing up my phone as well. Yugi got called out, and answered the question flawlessly, completely blowing my mind. I was at least expecting to throw some death glares at someone for laughing, but everyone was so amazed by it that no one could hardly speak.

Apparently I wasn't the only one that did accounting for my parents. Although I wasn't doing it for them anymore, I was too busy doing it for myself. Speaking of which... I typed in my hours, finding out how much I was going to be making this week, and figuring up how much I would have left after bills and other things I needed.

I stopped when my phone continued to go off though, the bell ringing shortly after. "I'm walking you to class" I told Yugi, standing directly behind him.

"And who says I want you to walk me to class?" He asked, turning around and blushing yet again. "Stop it" he said.

I raised a brow "Stop what?" I asked, taking a step towards him.

"Th-that. Getting so close.." His voice squeaked when he talked. I leaned forward, placing a kiss on his cheek. I let my lips linger for a second before pulling back, his blush even deeper than it was before.

"Fine. I won't walk you to class, but you better walk with Nickey. She's the only person in this school that worries me enough to allow me to protect you."

He rolled his eyes, his hand going to my chest as he gave a light shove. "I planned on it. Now go to your next class."

I chuckled and pretended to walk off, turning around only after he went around the corner. I followed far behind to make sure that he got to class. Once he was through the door, I turned to walk away. As I was heading towards English, I passed Mai. She was glaring at me, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. I felt like a spanked puppy as I walked away.

ABD

As the day went on, the energy drink started to take effect.. But not in a good way.. It took effect in the sense that it helped me stay awake, but only because I was afraid if I fell asleep my heart would explode..

On top of being drained yet alert, rumors were going around.. It was pissing me off to no end, and I wasn't sure how much more of it I could handle. Everyone was saying how much better they were than Yugi, how much more they had than Yugi.. Everything was going back to Yugi, and it made me so mad. I clenched my teeth so hard that my jaw hurt, trying to keep from exploding and snapping everyone's necks.

Yugi and I walked into science, me behind him, but entering together. We sat down and Yugi pulled out his notebook. "So, how's your day been?" he asked, and I let my jaw relax.

"Long" I sighed, pulling out my own science notes. "Marik's been messing with me lately, and it's exhausting. And then people have been complaining about how they're better than you and pudding me off." I turned my head slightly, furrowing my brows. Pudding? Did I just say pudding? Goddamn it.. I'm so angry and so tired that I can't even speak.. Fantastic... Can't wait for work...

Yugi nodded, apparently not catching my bad grammar. My knee continued to bounce on the chair as he talked, my hands doing their own thing as I waited for something to write down, eyes straight ahead. "Yami, what they think doesn't matter" he said, his hand going to my back as my head went into my hands. I needed to not be sitting here... I was going to go insane.. "Are you... okay...?" he asked, obviously just noticing my fidgeting.

"Nope. I am not. I think my heart might explode..." I had wished I was joking. I really wish I was. I looked over at Yugi. "If I fall face forward, you need to be worried and call the cops..."

"Got it," he nodded "I'll watch for that."

The teacher walked into the room and my phone went off. I pulled it out to find a picture of the blonde that doesn't seem to like me at all. A heart emoji and the words Dude, this chick is sooo hot...

I sighed as I looked at it. "Does he realize that Mai is my cousin and I could just hook them up...?" Yugi whispered. I shrugged and decided to ask. Joey responded with a no and I rolled my eyes.

I got to work on the worksheet we were handed, knowing I wouldn't be able to stay up late tonight and work on it. No matter how the energy drink was making me feel, eventually it would wear off and I would crash.

A few minutes later I glanced over to see Yugi working on a picture. It was a really good one too. What I was expecting to be a doodle, turned out to be a piece of art. His cheeks turned pink when he caught me staring, and I smiled. "Damn, Yugi.. That's a really good picture... Why the hell aren't you in art?"

He shrugged, his cheeks turning a darker shade to red. "I don't like showing my artwork to many people... I view it as a personal part of me, and I wouldn't be able to do very well if it was an assignment. I'd lose all talent I had and possibly even die..."

I chuckled a bit, shaking my head. Pretty sure he was overreacting with the die part... I let it go though, and we made it through science. I headed home, intent on getting those two hours sleep before having to go back to work.

ABD

Tuesday only proved to be worse.. The rumors had intensified, and were spreading like wildfire. Yugi took them with pride, and ignored them. I could not.

My teeth remained clenched together, so tight I thought I was going to break my jaw. It was like I was on auto pilot with my movements, my body moving on its own. My ears listening, passing along the message to my mind, and making me all the more angry. I kept repeating what Yugi had told me. "They're opinions didn't matter." He was right, they didn't. And what they had to say about me, I didn't care about. It was about what they were saying about Yugi..

What's so good about him?

What does he have, that we don't?

He's just after my money.

We're so much better than him..

He doesn't deserve me..

Yami deserves better..

The more I heard, the angrier I got. I was pretty sure I was giving everyone a death glare all day, but I wasn't trying to.. Not my friends at least.. I stayed quiet, and didn't say much, more so out of fear of exploding, than anything. Joey had looked worried, but he'd heard the rumors too. He knew it was only a matter of time before the time bomb went off, and all hell broke loose.

He didn't say anything, but he watched. Everywhere I went, Joey was somewhere nearby, watching me. He only did it at times when I stopped talking, and moved like a robot. My body was consistently tensed, daring someone to make a move.

I moved through the day just fine, my jaw staying wired shut where it needed to be, so no harsh words would come out of my mouth. It was all fine, and I was dealing with it fine until she walked up.. Téa Gardner, the one girl in school that was probably the most disappointed about me being with Yugi.. She seemed like she was about to ruin my wired mouth rule, and drop it down..

"What does that little shrimp have that I don't?"

I didn't think it was possible, but my jaw clenched tighter, my muscles tensing on their own out of anger. "Excuse me?" I asked through clenched teeth. "You wanna repeat that?"

Yugi walked over, a smile planted on his face. I looked at him, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him to my side. "Hey, I'm Yugi. Who are you...?"

"Téa, Téa Gardner," she answered, looking down on Yugi, which only managed to piss me off more. I heard the others approaching as she continued. "Now, answer me. What does Yugi have that I don't have?" I couldn't help but notice that she hadn't called him shrimp that time... That might just save her from embarrassment... Might...

"Here it goes" Marik groaned, knowing what was coming.

I looked Yugi up and down before looking back at her, tilting my head to the side a little. "Well, he's got me. And a dick... Unless you're hiding one of those under that skirt of yours. And class, because he sure as hell doesn't act like a slut. Oh! And he also has my number. And I'm gonna tell you now; he can call any time, any day, and every day if he wants," I tightened my grip on Yugi's waist, my sassy voice turning to a growl. "Now go the fuck away before I embarrass you in front of everyone..."

Yugi looked at me with a mixture of shock and fear, tugging on my arm shortly after. "Yami, come on, she isn't worth it... Yami and I are going on a walk. We'll see y'all later."

I was so pissed. I just wanted to give her a piece of my mind. To give everyone a piece of it. The dam was getting a crack, and it was hard to tell when the whole thing would break, and hell would break loose. "What the hell was that, Yami!?" Yugi asked, glaring at me.

"What was what?" I was pissed, that's what that was!

"Don't you think you went a bit overboard?" He asked, standing his ground and refusing to back down or move away. "It wasn't necessary for you to be so mean!"

I calmed down, looking down at the ground.. He was right.. But.. I saw Yugi relax from my peripheral vision, his eyes still on me. "Look, I'm sorry. I just got sick of people talking about you and couldn't hold that in anymore..."

Yugi sighed, "Yami, relax. It isn't bothering me, so don't let it bother you. Besides, I've been through a lot worse than that, and the only opinion that matters is mine and yours."

My chest hurt.. It felt like I'd been stabbed.. He had been through worse, but now he didn't have to deal with that.. I put my hand up on his cheek, my nose starting to burn. "I'm not like you, Yugi. I'm not perfect, and I can't ignore it... I'm sick of everyone talking bad about you... Saying that they're better than you and that I'm better than you... It isn't true..." My voice started cracking, but I didn't care.. I was so mad and I wanted to get rid of some of my anger. He tried to stop me, but I ignored it, I needed to get it off my chest. "They're all saying you don't deserve me... and it's not true... and it's not fair... I'm the one that doesn't deserve you... and I'm sorry..."

"Yami, just shut up, you big idiot..." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a sitting position, the two of us on our knees, my head on his shoulder while he rubbed my back, hugging me like a lifeline. "No one is perfect; I have my flaws, too. I take pride in mine though because they make me feel human... For instance, I'll be loyal to my friends, even if it means the end of the world. I'll die a million and one times if Amaterasu will just look my way. I'll do anything to make my mom proud of me."

I sighed, wiping my eyes before wrapping my arms around his waist, pulling him to me. We stayed that way for a while, by the time I sat up the bell was about to ring to dismiss us from math.. And we were currently not in class.. I put my forehead to his, staring deeply into his eyes. "Sorry.."

"Yami.. stop it.."

"Yugi... Nothing that anyone says is ever going to make me feel any differently for you.. No matter what sort of bullshit they spit out, I am not going to let you go.. And, if I do.. I will wear a pink tutu to school and apologize. I will get on my knees and beg for you to forgive me.."

Yugi smiled and it was clear he was trying to hold back the laughter. His hands slid up to either side of my face, my hands remaining on his waist. "You're going to wear a pink tutu? To school?"

"Only if it comes to that... I don't plan on that happening.."

"Sounds like a site to see.."

"Let's not test that theory.. It only happens if I break up with you because of something that someone said.."

"I wasn't talking about the conditions, Yami... I just meant you in a tutu" he teased, his cheeks warming up, and turning pink.

"You wanna see me in a tutu?" I asked, chuckling as I pressed our noses together. "I might look sexy in a tutu... You better watch out..."

He started laughing and it was contagious. "I don't care what anyone says, Yugi..." I said, once our laughter subsided "You're my best friend... And I don't wanna do without you... As silly as he is, I think Joey was right..."

Our eyelids lowered as I pressed our lips together. Our lips connected and reconnected a few times before we pulled away, cheeks burning, and short on breath as we pulled away. "C'mon, we'll have to get to class" I said, reaching out my hand and helping him to his feet.

I turned to start walking, but he grabbed my arm, surprising me with another kiss. His hands were back on my face, and while the kiss was short and sweet, it only made me want another one. He pulled away, a smile back on his face, our usual roles being reversed as a blush made itself known on my own face. I didn't ever want to be without him.. That smile held so much more behind it than what everyone saw on the surface. And I wanted to know all about it.

* * *

Nickey: Eleven goddamn pages later, that I'm not reading back to figure out what all happened...

Yami: I mean... Yugi had a nightmare, and I got woke up... Then I was zombified and you gave me an energy drink...

Nickey: Oh yeah... You owe me one of those...

Yami: You can have it back when it comes back up... I'm still feeling effects from that...

Nickey: You pussy...

Kitty: Yami, if you kill my yami I will leave the story as it is for the rest of it and we will change the ending!

Yugi: *ignores Yami to calm Nickey*

Yami: And we hope you all enjoyed!

Nickey: Hope you all had a safe and merry Christmas!

Kitty: Oh, thank god that holiday is over! I'm sick of hearing Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer...

Yugi: We all know the feeling. And your sister can't sing.

Kitty: *winces* Yeah, I noticed...


	14. Chapter 13: Pranks and Pain

Kitty: HAPPY NEW YEARS GUYS! ANYWAY, I'VE BEEN RUNNING AROUND ALL DAY TODAY AND AM SOOOOOO HAPPY!

Yugi: *sigh* I told Makayla not to give her those York patties...

Kitty: *hanging from rope on ceiling* BUT IT WAS MEW YEARS! THE COUNTDOWN WAS AWESOME! THERE WERE FIREWORKS!

Yugi: Uhm... I think it's there was fireworks...

Kitty's: *swings to top of bookshelf* NOPE! IT'S SOOOO WAS! NICKEY, LOOK I CAN TOUCH THE CEILING!

Nickey: *holds out arms to catch Kitty* We know she's gonna fall... Everyone knows by now...

Yami: She is accident prone... Kinda like you're sick prone...

Nickey: *sneezes* shut up... I'm not sick...

Yugi: Kitty, down. You're going to hurt yourself.

Kitty: *pouts* You're mean... *sees shiny thing* Ooo~ WHAT'S THE SHINY THING? *goes to shiny thing* HA! IT'S THE RING FIONA GAVE ME! AW, HOW SWEET OF HIM!

Nickey: Did you get that thing I told you to get?

Yami: You mean the thing at the thing, with the thing?

Nickey: That's the thing.

Yami: I got it. It's at home...

Nickey: Good.

Kitty: OH! I WENT ICE SKATING LAST NIGHT! I FELL... One... Two... Three... 30 times! AND NAT AND CAMERON ARE SOOOO GONNA GET MARRIED!

Nickey and Yami: *look at each other* Definitely accident prone...

Yami: And she's on a kick about people getting married...

Yugi: *sigh* Yeah, it's an ongoing joke. Don't worry about it, though. It's been happening since she was in eighth - or was it seventh? - grade. Anyway, enjoy the chapter guys.

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 13

Pranks and Pain

Wednesday morning came, and I smiled at my sister as I ate breakfast with her. It had been a while since we'd just sat and talked about nothing. The topic changed from school, to mama, to what she talked to dad about after I went to bed last night, and somehow ended up on Yami.

"So how is he treating you?" Amaterasu asked with a slightly threatening tone. "Because, I mean, I still have that dagger Nana gave me..."

I swallowed my milk and almost choked. "Wh-what?" I asked, certain I had misheard. She repeated herself, and I sighed. "Yami's fine, Amaterasu. There was this one girl, and he embarrassed her half to death because she asked what I have that she doesn't," I answered hesitantly.

"Did he mention that you have a dick?" Amaterasu asked, making sure to catch sight of the blush that surrounded my face. I nodded, and she smiled. "He sounds like my type of person!"

"Yes, I'm well aware, onee-chan," I replied. "He is also my boyfriend, and I wanna see if I can get him to come over for dinner after school tomorrow."

Amaterasu hummed. "Well, that'll be fun! I never got to interrogate him. Daddy did it all for me," she replied with a huff as she crossed her arms. "Tell him he best meet up to my standards or he will lose all hope of ever having children," she said.

"Um... Amaterasu, I hate to break it to you, but he's gay... The only way he'll be having kids is if he decides he's bi or straight, and I don't see that happening anytime soon," I said.

Amaterasu laughed. "So you're not going to let him leave anytime soon?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I didn't say that. But I'm not going to give him any reason to want to dump me, and I highly doubt he's going to give me a reason to dump him," I said.

"What's his number?" Amaterasu asked, and I laughed. "Why? Do you wanna text him?"

"Meh, kinda. I wanna do that song lyric thing," she said. "The one that's all over YouTube?"

I sighed. "Really?" I asked. "With what song?"

She shrugged. "The only one I know of is Treat You Better," she said.

I sighed. "Gimme a minute to make sure he doesn't listen to Shawn Mendes," I said before texting him. Hey, do you listen to Shawn Mendes? I asked.

Um... No... Why...?

No reason in particular. Just curious what music you listen to... I texted. "You're good, 'Rasu," I said before reciting his phone number.

She smiled. "Well, come on! This'll be fun," she said. "You look up the lyrics, and I'll send the texts."

I smiled and went to azlyrics to look up the song. Amaterasu sent the first text: I won't lie to you...

Um... That's good, but who is this...? Are you sure you have the right number...? Yami replied a moment later.

I know he's just not right for you... Amaterasu replied with the next line. "Good luck with figuring that out," Amaterasu answered his question out loud to me.

You mean Yugi...? Yami texted. Because I don't know who this is or how the fucking hell you got my number, but he's the only person in my life that you'd be talking about.

Amaterasu and I shared a glance before my phone dinged. I listen to whatever I feel like. When I have the time. Never have I listened to him, though... I read before he sent another. Sorry that took a while. Some random person - probably a slut from school - is sending me texts saying she's better than you.

I laughed with Amaterasu and sent him an "ok" text before going to the website and showing Amaterasu the next line. And you can tell me if I'm off but I can see it on your face. I rolled my eyes as we talked. "I'm going in late. I gotta see this whole thing," I said when my alarm to leave rang.

Amaterasu laughed. "Good. I was gonna make you stay anyway," she said as her phone dinged with a new message: What the fuck? What's on my face? Where the fuck are you?

I laughed with Amaterasu, picturing Yami looking around his house, paranoid that someone was watching him. Yugi, THIS PERSON IS CREEPY!

Amaterasu and I laughed as she typed the next line. When you say that he's the one that you want and you're spending all your time in this wrong situation. After that, Yami stopped replying, and I ran to school, not bothering with Yami's texts until I got to the gates just before the bell rang.

I ran to class, wondering if the teacher would mind that I was late. She didn't usually care about much, but no one had been late to her class since I got there. I made it to the classroom and was shocked to see that there was no teacher when I walked in.

"Yugi, guess what!" Malik exclaimed when I walked into the room. I smiled and walked over to him. "The teacher got in an accident and there aren't enough free subs, so we're free to do whatever we want during class as long as we stay in this room!"

I sat down on the window sill with a nod at Malik. "Thanks for letting me know," I said before taking out my phone and texting Yami. I got a free period today! I said.

And how is that? he asked.

Teacher is absent and there are no subs. I have to stay in one room, and as long as I do, I'm good to do whatever! I replied.

"Who are you texting?" Malik asked as he looked at my phone. "Yami... Are you sure he's really into you? I mean, he could just be faking it..." I looked at him, slightly hurt, and he rushed to explain himself. "Look, I don't mean to hurt you, Yugi, but he might. Yami... He isn't the best person in the world... And he's done awful things..."

I nodded. "Yes, I'm aware, Malik," I said, "but I'm also aware that no one is perfect. If I looked for someone perfect, I'd never find anyone. You've judged him based on rumors, but you haven't taken the time to get to know him, Malik. I'm inviting him over for dinner tonight; you should come hang out. He's a good guy..."

Malik sighed and nodded. "Right, sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to come off as a bastard, and I am sorry that I did..."

I smiled. "It's alright," I told him. "Everyone makes mistakes and does stupid things sometimes. Tell your sister you're coming over, and you can come hang out before school. It'll be fun."

Malik smiled, and we hugged each other, his face hiding in my neck. "You're one of my best friends, Yugi," he told me, his breath tickling my neck.

I chuckled. "Well, I'm glad..." I answered. "Because you're one of mine, too..." I blushed at the confession since I had never had many friends or openly stated someone was my best friend.

Malik and I pulled away and smiled at each other as the bell rang. "I'll see you later," I told him before running to the gym. "Hey, Ryou," I said as I passed him at the door and walked to find Yami. "Where the hell is he?" I muttered, looking for him.

"Where is who?" someone whispered, wrapping their arms around me. I jumped and forced my elbow back into the stomach before I heard cussing.

"Shit! Yami, are you okay? I'm so so so sorry!" I exclaimed, blushing. I had so not meant to do that to him... "I did not mean to do that! Well, I mean, I meant to elbow you in the stomach, but not you. I didn't know it was you! God, Yami -"

His lips on mine silenced me. "Shut up," he muttered against them before he pulled away. "Why were you looking for me?"

I tilted my head. "Who said I was looking for you?" I asked. "Maybe I was looking for Joey. Maybe I was looking for Coach Wilson to ask about joining track."

Yami shrugged. "Sure. And my life is perfect," he said. "What did you want that you couldn't wait to ask until science?"

I blushed. "Amaterasu wants you to come over for dinner, and Malik wants to get to know you... Would you mind...?"

Yami shrugged as Joey walked up behind him, wrapping an arm around him. The only sign of being startled Yami showed was the very small jump that wasn't very noticeable, and I got the feeling Joey hadn't noticed it. "Damn it, Yami! Why aren't ya more easier ta scare?"

"Why aren't you easier," I corrected. He looked at me strangely, and I sighed. "It's why aren't you easier to scare. Not why aren't you more easier." The grammar error had been bugging me, since I was a huge freak about grammar.

"Anyway," Yami said, turning to me. "What time do you usually eat?" he asked. "Because I can't get there until ten o'clock..."

I shrugged. "Dad usually gets home around 10:00, and mama doesn't start cooking until he's there so she knows it won't be cold for him. It also helps that we all live off of a couple hours of sleep..."

Yami nodded. "Then I should be able to make it," he said. "But don't get upset if I call last minute saying I can't."

I nodded. "I won't," I said as the coach called us into the gym.

Yami and I looked down at each other's jeans. "You should get dressed," we both said together before looking at our own clothes. "Shit!" we shouted together. We both ran to our lockers and got dressed quickly.

And then... I found out we were playing dodgeball.

* * *

At lunch, I went to the tree my friends and I sat under and sighed. The day so far had been boring, with the only upside being inviting Yami to dinner. As I saw Malik, I sighed. I'd forgotten to ask if he minded eating late.

"Hey, guys," I said to the group in general. "Malik, how do you feel about eating late? Like, ten o'clock, late...?"

Malik shrugged. "I'm fine with that," he said. "I usually just eat whenever since my sister is always at the museum and rarely actually comes home."

I nodded. "Alright," I said before looking around. "Any of you who have a problem with Yami need to come with me after school," I said despite the fear of them finding out the extent of my wealth.

No one else raised a hand, and Kitty looked at Nickey in what appeared to be shock. "You don't have a problem with him?" she asked.

Nickey shrugged. "While he may have tried to help me beat those shit heads up, he left as soon as I told him not to join in. I respect that," she said.

Kitty nodded and turned to me, opening her mouth before a pair of arms wrapped around my waist. I shoved my elbow back and - for the second time that day - hit Yami in the stomach.

"You know," I told Kitty after hearing his groan, "I'd apologize, but I think he needs to learn not to sneak up on me..." She giggled and I turned to Yami. "Ten o'clock tonight. Ryou and Malik are joining us at my place for dinner, and I'd advise you to be there by 10:30 or mom will serve dinner without you."

We all talked for a while until the bell rang, and Yami and I went to math.

* * *

Choir came, and I entered the room with Kitty, the two of us arguing lightly over what was better : reading, writing, or singing. I said reading, she said writing, and we both agreed singing was second best. "Miss. Ratina, it is your turn for the audition for 'I Hate You, I Love You'. Are you ready?" the choir teacher asked when the bell rang. Kitty looked at me, and I smiled as she walked up to the microphone.

She hesitantly placed her hand on the microphone and closed her eyes before her beautiful voice filled the room. "Feeling used:But I'm still:Missing you:And I can't see the end of this:Just wanna feel your kiss :Against my lips:And now all this time:Is passing by:But I still can't seem to tell you why:It hurts me every time I see you:Realize how much I need you," she sang. I could see tears as they began to form in her eyes, her voice betraying the hurt and sadness the song required to sound real; the capability of doing that was not easily learned. It was a talent you had to be born with.

"I hate you, I love you:I hate that, I love you:Don't want to but I can't put nobody else above you:I hate you, I love you:I hate that I want you:You want her, you need her:And I'll never be her." Kitty continued through the whole song, her voice revealing a level of pain that I had never thought possible.

"You were great," I whispered as she came to sit beside me on the risers while we listened to the rest of the class audition for a part in the talent show. I would be doing mine tomorrow with a song my mom wrote.

"Thanks," Kitty whispered, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I appreciate it..."

I smiled and nodded, and the two of us talked until the bell rang and we had to run to the last class of the day, which also happened to be my favorite class. Yami and I met up halfway to the classroom and walked the rest of the way together. "So how's your day been...?" I asked.

Yami looked at me, his eyes narrowing. "Why do you ask?" he questioned. I shrugged, and he pulled me to him, a smirk on his face. "It was alright," he said, taking a step closer to me.

I stepped to the side as well so there was the same space between us and looked at him with a smile. "Nice try," I teased before someone stepped in front of me. I looked up to see one of the guys who had been picking on me the previous week - Ushio was his name according to the gossip.

I looked at Yami and let out a silent sigh, certain he hadn't noticed it. Here we go again... I knew Yami wouldn't be able to control his anger if anything happened to me; he'd been holding it in all day, and it was obvious now that he was about to burst. "Everyone thinks you're so cool, Sennen. But in reality, it looks like daddy just raised a little faggot!" Ushio yelled. I let out a breath as Yami looked me in the eye before rolling his own and starting to walk away. I was hoping that Ushio wouldn't open his big mouth again, but I realized it was a false hope when he opened his mouth before Yami and I had even walked a foot past them. "And your whore bait boyfriend isn't any better!"

Before the words had even left his mouth, Yami was fighting with Ushio. I was scared; there was no Joey nearby, which meant that I would have been left to stop the fight, and I knew my body and its limits well enough to know that if I tried to stop Yami at that point, I'd end up dead - or at least halfway there. "You got something to say, mother fucker?" Yami asked, getting in Ushio's face. "Cuz my face is right here, you fucking coward. Say it to me face to face."

Ushio snorted as he replied. "I thought I made myself clear, must have too much cum in your ear to hear me. I said your little boyfriend is a whore bait faggot."

Yami started punching Ushio, and I would have done something if I had felt any sympathy for Ushio. He'd had warning enough to take it back after he spoke and chose not to. Not only that, but I didn't think I was ready to die. It took two teachers to pull Yami and Ushio off of each other, and when they did, the three of us were sent to the office. "Yugi didn't do anything wrong," Yami said, glaring at the female teacher.

"Except become a faggot," Ushio snarled, and Yami turned.

"Enough!" the teacher shouted. "Lets go. All three of you!" The teacher followed behind Yami and Ushio to the principal's office, and I followed behind her, holding my notebook to my chest as I looked down. I glanced up and saw Malik and Ryou staring at us and waved a little. The two waved back as I continued on. When we got to the front office, the teacher pointed at Ushio and a couch. "You, sit down," she said. "The two of you," she added, looking at Yami and me, "go in the principal's office. Principal McGee will be in there shortly."

"Yugi still -" Yami began to say before he was cut off. The teacher interrupted him, telling him to go. I grabbed his hand as he looked at me and muttered an "I'm sorry" to me.

I smiled up at him. "It's fine. Daddy will love you," I said.

Yami looked like he was in pain, if the faces he was making were any hint. The principal called our parents before he was even in there and looked at me. "So, Mr. Sennen," he said as my parents walked in, Amaterasu following behind them, "the phone number we have for your parents has been disconnected. Would you care to explain?"

"Not really," Yami said, crossing his arms and leaning back. He looked almost relaxed, but I could tell he wanted nothing more than to leave at that moment.

"Maybe we should just call your father's office," Principal McGee replied, reaching for his phone.

Yami's hand was holding it down before the principal's reached it, and he spoke in a slightly threatening tone. "My father doesn't like to be disturbed," he said. "Why don't you just tell me what you have to say? I'd love to hear your opinion," he added, coating his voice in sarcasm so strong one would have to be extremely naive not to hear it.

"Since you two started this dating fiasco -" the principal began. I scrunched my face up and pulled out my phone as Yami laughed in a creepy way. "Mr. Moto, what are you doing with that phone?"

I shrugged. "I don't see why it's any of your business," I muttered, opening up my dictionary app. "A fiasco is, according to , a complete and ignominious failure... I don't see how we've failed at anything, Principal McGee, but please continue," I said before Yami's laughter died down and he spoke.

"A fiasco? Dating, fiasco... Hm.. So, two straight people get together, and it's fine. Everyone is okay with that. But the popular kid gets with the new kid, as a gay couple, and it's a fucking fiasco?! You wanna know what the real failure here is?" he asked, standing up from his seat and leaning on the desk. "It's this goddamn school. You guys are okay with kids fighting each other, until the blame can be pinned on the innocent. That's when you guys step in!"

"Yugi, are you going to do something about this?!" mom exclaimed, and I shook my head.

"No, mom, I'm not. Every word from Yami's mouth is honest," I said. "I can't be a whore without having sex..."

Yami's rant continued as we spoke. "Yugi didn't do a goddamn thing and you dragged him down here! Why?! Because he's my boyfriend, so why not see if you can blame him for something?! Well FUCK YOU! Yugi didn't fight! I fucking did! You got something to say, got a punishment to give?! Give it to me. Let me fucking hear you! But if I find out that you gave Yugi any sort of punishment whatsoever, I will have Kaiba Corp, and Sennen Inc in here so goddamn fast you won't get time to blink before you get shut down and shit down your throat!"

Yami shook his head, and I stood up, moving to lean against him. His arm wrapped around my shoulder and pulled me into him. "You wanna know what the real problem is here? You wanna solve all your problems? Stop the bullying. I don't care what's said about me, I really don't. But the bullshit on Yugi, it better stop. Or I'll keep going through this school, punching people out left and right, because it doesn't bother me to sit in here and listen to your bullshit. It won't hurt my feelings to get detention, or suspension, whatever you choose to do. But, so help me. If anything happens to Yugi, or anyone bullies him again, hell hath no fury like that of a pissed off Sennen. And you will regret the day you didn't heed my warning." Yami's arm left my shoulder, and he moved to the door. "I have somewhere to be, so if you would kindly fuck off, that'd be the greatest," he said before storming out.

"Gomen-nasai," I said before walking out, staring at Ushio with pity in my eyes as I walked out. "I feel very sorry for you..." I said.

"And why the fuck would that be, little faggot?" he asked with a sneer.

I smiled at him. "You live life in a pathetic way," I answered before leaving the room to find Yami. I walked into one of the bathrooms to see him holding onto the sink, a cut visible near his eye and another at the corner of his lip.

"Look at me, Yami," I said, touching him as I walked up behind him in the mirror. He looked at me in the mirror, and I sighed, sitting on the counter in front of him so that my legs were on either side of him, ignoring the suggestive position. "Look at me, Yami, not the mirror," I said, moving his head so that I was staring into crimson eyes. "Are you okay...?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine..." he answered, although I could tell he wasn't.

"Don't lie to me, Yami," I said. "I've let it slide once, but it won't be happening again. Talk to me..." He looked away, and I felt the shame radiating off of him. "Yami, the most important thing in a relationship is trust. If you can't trust me enough to tell me how you're feeling, then what does that tell you?" I asked him. "You don't have to say why..."

Yami sighed. "I'm stressed out..." he answered. "And worried. And angry. And I might just kill someone..."

I sighed and leaned against him. "Was that so hard...?" I asked him.

"No..." he answered. "Now, when did you get so confident?" he asked, and I could hear the smirk in his voice as he looked down at the counter.

I blushed. "I-I... I was just... Trying to get you... To look at me..." I stuttered before he kissed me. I practically melted against him, sighing as he wrapped his arms around my waist. We stayed like that for about a minute before we pulled apart and I smiled. "You're going to be okay," I told him. "And remember whenever you want to kill someone... There's no Joey in jail."

He smirked. "There's also no you in jail," he said before he looked at me. "I have to go. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

I nodded. "You're still coming over for dinner, right?" I asked.

"If I'm welcome, then yes, I will still be coming over for dinner," he said.

I smiled as he left before looking at myself in the mirror. I made my exit a few moments later and bumped into my mom. "So I have a few friends coming over for dinner. One of them is the son of the guy who pays for the school and its supplies and paid for it to be built. I can get him to ask if his dad will fire the principal, if you want," I offered.

"Good," dad said, "I want him out. If I am called from work one more time because of this dumbass principal, I will hire my personal security to fucking kill him."

Amaterasu giggled. "Daddy's been pissed off. He spent a while yelling at the principal, and then the principal tried to defend himself by saying you and Yami started it. When mom asked why, he said because you two are gay and dating..." she commented, filling me in on the cause of my dad's anger.

I nodded, and we all walked home, laughing and joking together. When we got home, I got on my laptop and started playing Millennial Kingdom, laughing when people challenged me with decks that barely had anything in them. Around 6:30, Ryou and Malik showed up and were led to my room. "Hey," I greeted them. Ryou was looking in awe at the room, and I smiled. "Like it?"

The two nodded, and I laughed. "Come on; there's an Xbox and a PlayStation through the door to your left. They're both hooked up to different TVs, so you can get on both of them. Don't touch them until I get in there, though. I have to grab something," I told them, motioning to a set of wooden double doors to the left of the room.

A few hours later, Yami came over, and I smiled and pulled him into my room before pulling him into the room Malik and Ryou were in. "What do you think?" I asked, sitting down. "Mom went and got it all during school today and finished right before they called her. It's my own personal game room! Amaterasu has one, too, but hers is filled with board games, books, and weapons..."

Yami looked at me like I was crazy. "What the fuck does she need weapons for anyway?" he asked.

I shrugged. "My sister's a fighter. She's mastered using a throwing knife, dagger, katana, and long sword," I answered. "She's probably in there working on the falcata right now..."

Yami nodded, grabbing my arm. "Do you two mind leaving us alone for a second...?" he asked Malik and Ryou. Malik huffed, looking like he was going to say something before Ryou pulled him out of the room.

I turned to Yami with my head tilted to the side. "What's wrong?" I asked. He opened his mouth. "And don't you dare say nothing, Yami," I added.

He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I really am sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to get you into trouble... And now you're parents probably hate me..."

I laughed. "Why would they hate you?" I asked. "Yami, you did the exact same thing Amaterasu's been doing for years; the only difference is that you didn't use a weapon of any sort like she did," I told him. At Yami's horrified look, I laughed and lifted up my sleeve a little to show an old scar from a past bully. "They liked to pull knives on me, and after they tried to pull one in her, she started carrying daggers in her boot."

He nodded. "Well... I'm still sorry..." he muttered.

I smiled and stood up so that I could kiss him gently. "Don't be," I told him. "Dinner is going to be done soon. Come on; let's go down..."

Yami nodded, and we went down. When we passed Ryou and Malik, I smiled at them. "Come on," I said. "Dinner is going to be done any minute now..." The two nodded and followed me down the stairs. Malik slid down the railing with me while Yami and Ryou actually used the stairs. I rolled my eyes at them. "You know there's a railing for a reason, right?" I asked.

"Yes, but you know there's stairs for a reason, right?" Ryou retorted.

I nodded. "Yes, I know. The stairs are for going up since gravity would pull you down if you used the railing for that. The railing is so you can come down," I answered.

Yami rolled his eyes. "I will not disrespect your house in such a way. Your parents hate me anyway," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "They do not hate you," I told him before looking at Ryou. "By the way, my dad wants a new principal. He's sick of this one calling him from work because my boyfriend got into a fight. Could you tell that to your dad?"

Ryou nodded. "Sure thing. I'll see what he can do, but I make no guarantee," he said.

"Oh, just mention Zachariah Moto; he'll rush to it if you do," I said.

My mom was just setting the table when we came in and smiled. "I was just about to call you all in here. Take a seat, please. Yami has to sit by Yugi though... It's common courtesy for the rest of you to allow that," she said before looking at Yami. "Thank you, dear, for protecting my baby..." she said, trailing off as she took in Yami's face. "My God! What happened to you?" she asked. "No, don't answer that! I know already. The real statement is: that wound looks horrid!"

"Yeah, I know..." Yami agreed as we took out seats. "I didn't have anything to cover it up with..."

My mom left the room without another word, and Yami looked at me in confusion. "Just sit still. She'll be right back, probably with my dad," I told him. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Mom came back in a few minutes later with dad behind her and the first aid kit from their bathroom. She knelt down in front of Yami and began to clean his face off. "I will never understand how you boys manage to get so dirty," she complained as dad took a seat, chuckling.

"Akira, I highly doubt any of us boys - or Amaterasu, for that matter - will ever understand how you stay so clean," dad joked as he sat in his seat.

Mom rolled her eyes as she put a band aid on the cut by Yami's eye. She stood up and looked down to see Yami staring at her in confusion. "Don't be an asshole, Zachariah," she said before addressing Yami. "Does your mother not take care of your wounds?"

Yami shrugged. "I told you; I rarely see her," he answered. I sighed as my mom accepted the answer, although I knew there was more to it than he claimed. I highly doubted they were constantly traveling.

"Well, you're welcome here anytime," she said as the plates were set by the chefs.

About halfway through the meal, I looked at Yami and noticed his neck had a huge bump on it. "Um... Yami... Does your neck hurt...?" I asked.

He shrugged. "A little," he answered.

I pulled out my phone and sent him a text. Liar, it said with the smiley face emoji to show I wasn't insulted. He pulled it out and rolled his eyes. "Really?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yep!" I said.

Amaterasu jumped in, changing the conversation. "By the way, you have my approval," she said. Yami looked confused, and she continued. "This morning, you received messages from Shawn Mendes's song 'Treat You Better', and you didn't listen to what was said. That was me; you have earned my approval to date my brother." Her friendly smile turned to a threatening one in mere milliseconds. "Just know that if you hurt him, I know how to use a good number of weapons."

Yami nodded. "Yeah... I know..." he said with a slight stutter. "Yugi told me..."

Dinner went on without anything else, and Ryou and Malik started warming up to Yami. I made a mental note to look up Sennen Inc later, though, since Yami had mentioned it and they were one of my dad's company's biggest competitors.

* * *

Kitty: *sugar crash*

Yugi: Finally. While you readers were off reading, I had to chase Kitty around. She's knocked out now. And what were you two doing? *points at Nickey and Yami*

Nickey: I was watching YouTube videos...

Yami: I was reading...

Yugi: Doesn't mean you should leave me alone to chase a sugar high Kitty.

Yami: Sorry, Aibou...

Nickey: I'm not.. You seemed to have it all under control...

Kitty: *mumbling* No, Hermione, don't do that! Give the thingy to Ron and Harry... I don't care if Ron is too incompetent. Give it to Harry...

Yugi: Oh, god... Hogwarts dreams again... Save me...

Yami: Last time she had one of those, she slept for a while...

Nickey: Then went on about it and attempted to get there when she woke up...

Yami: That didn't go so well...

Yugi: Bye, guys.

Yami: Bye!

Nickey: CIAO goobers and goofballs..


	15. Chapter 14: Pain and Anger

Nickey: What's up everyone! * waves * long time no see :D Before I allow Kitty to go into a hugemongasaurus apology, allow me to explain a few things here that have caused this long ass absence...

First off, Kitty hasn't had wifi... Or a phone... For a while.. And it's been horrible :3

Second off, my grandpa just died wednesday... So, I'm kinda in and out right now, I have a funeral Tuesday... Y'know how all that shit goes... Not a big deal, but kinda is...

Thirdly, Kitty went on another vacation... I really gotta get me some of those... xD

And Lastly, we've actually been working our asses off to stay ahead of the uploading schedule... We're already up to chapter 40 xD So as soon as Kitty's wifi stops being a dick, uploads will return to normal...

Kitty: Yeah... That's why I'm avoiding wifi right now... Cuz it's a D. Nickey says I'm not allowed to be near the D...

Yami: And we can carry on like nothing ever happened...

Yugi: How many of you actually read these anyway? But it wasn't a vacation. More of a preparation for a few birthday parties - six within the next two weeks - and Kitty wanted themed cakes specially made. She's in charge of the parties this year. Except hers. Her parents do that one.

Nickey: Anywho... I don't remember this chapter, so I'm gonna go read it too xD * runs off to read *

Kitty: So um... I'm rereading the Harry Potter series... And I was watching Disney (Ariel) with my sister the other day... Hehe... The jokes are real...

Yugi: That is completely irrelevant... Updates will be going back to regular when Kitty is allowed near her wifi. For at least a while. Unless another Hikari vacation comes up.

Yami: I mean... You guys are.. what? One.. two... Twenty-five chapters ahead of this point xD It's expected to forget I suppose...

Kitty: I'm gonna join NiNi in reading this! Wish me luck, fellow fangirls!

Yugi: *puts tape in*

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 14

Pain and Anger

Wednesday proved to be a whole new game to testing my patience... I got woke up at six with a call saying someone called in and I was absolutely needed to fill that empty space. But I was also going to have to cover my own shift... On my way to work I got a text from Yugi, which really made me question what he was up to...

 _Hey, do you listen to Shawn Mendes?_ He asked.

 _Um... No... Why...?_ I texted back. That was something random for the first message sent in the morning..

 _No reason in particular. Just curious what music you listen to..._ Hm.. There's something I hadn't thought about in a while... What music did I listen to? I haven't had time to just sit and listen to music in a long time.

I looked both ways before crossing the street, my phone going off once again. Where I was expecting Yugi to be texting me again, it was some number I'd never seen before.. _I won't lie to you..._

 _Um... That's good, but who is this...? Are you sure you have the right number...?_ I texted it back after quickly looking through my contacts to double check that my phone wasn't going crazy.. It wasn't.. I was..

 _I know he's just not right for you..._

The fuck?! Great, some slut from school got a hold of my number, and I was never going to hear the end of it... I'd strangle Joey if he gave out my number.. _You mean Yugi...? Because I don't know who this is or how the fucking hell you got my number, but he's the only person in my life that you'd be talking about._

I remembered that I hadn't responded to Yugi, so I switched over and did that. Damn people distracting me.. _I listen to whatever I feel like. When I have the time. Never have I listened to him, though..._ I accidentally hit the send button, so I had to explain in the next message. _Sorry that took a while. Some random person - probably a slut from school - is sending me texts saying she's better than you._

 _Ok_ Yugi replied as I walked into Maji burger, walking to the bathroom so I could change. My phone went off as I walked out of the bathroom, that weird number texting me yet again. _And you can tell me if I'm off but I can see it on your face_

I looked around, what the fuck was going on? _What the fuck? What's on my face? Where the fuck are you?_

I didn't see anyone looking at me. I texted Yugi again Yugi, _THIS PERSON IS CREEPY!_

 _When you say that he's the one that you want and you're spending all your time in this wrong situation_

I needed to get to work, and ignore whoever the hell was texting me. I turned my phone on silent and walked back to the back, dropping my bag in the office. I got two orders filled before Yugi texted me back again. _I got TWO free periods today!_

 _And how is that?_ I asked, smiling at the thought of his excitement.

 _Teacher is absent and there are no subs. I have to stay in one room, and as long as I do, I'm good to do whatever!_

"Sennen! Three more orders!"

I didn't have time to respond, so I tucked my phone back into my pocket and got back to work. I would talk to him when I got to school. The work day dragged on and it was only a few hours..

* * *

I met up with Joey after changing and walking to our meeting spot. We got to school fairly quick and walked our way to gym. I saw Yugi looking around the gym, his back towards me. "Where the hell is he?" He said aloud, looking around the room.

I smirked as I walked up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. "Where is who?" I whispered in his ear. I was expecting some sort of reaction, which was his jump, I was not expecting the elbow that met my stomach. "Fuck" I cursed, grabbing my stomach as I doubled over.

"Shit! Yami, are you okay? I'm so so so sorry!" He yelled, putting his hands on me as he searched frantically to make sure I was okay. "I did not mean to do that! Well, I mean, I meant to elbow you in the stomach, but not you. I didn't know it was you! God, Yami-"

I stopped his rambling by pressing our lips together. "Shut up" I said, our lips still together. I pulled back and looked at him, smiling as I did so. "Why were you looking for me?"

"Who said I was looking for you?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. "Maybe I was looking for Joey. Maybe I was looking for Coach Wilson to ask about joining track."

I shrugged "Sure. And my life is perfect. What did you want that you couldn't wait to ask until science?"

"Amaterasu wants you to come over for dinner, and Malik wants to get to know you... Would you mind...?" His cheeks had turned light pink, and I'd gotten lost somewhere in the twinkling of his eyes.

I shrugged as Joey walked up behind me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I jerked slightly from the contact, I was still kinda twitchy when it came to others touching me. Joey didn't seem to notice though, and his goal was to scare me. "Damn it, Yami! Why aren't ya more easier ta scare?"

"Why aren't you easier," Yugi corrected. Joey looked at him like he was crazy and he sighed. "It's why aren't you easier to scare. Not why aren't you more easier." Grammar nerd.

"Anyway" I stopped any chances of the blonde responding. I didn't want to be here all day long.. "What time do you usually eat? Because I can't get there until ten o'clock..."

He shrugged and didn't seem to think for too long. "Dad usually gets home around ten, and mama doesn't start cooking until he's there so she knows it won't be cold for him. It also helps that we all live off a couple hours of sleep..."

I nodded as I thought it over. "Then I should be able to make it, but don't get upset if I call last minute saying I can't." I didn't want him to be upset, but sometimes the boss made me stay late to clean up.

"I won't" he said as the coach called us into the gym.

I looked over at him noticing he wasn't dressed for class yet. "You should get dressed" we both said. I looked down to see that I wasn't dressed for class yet either. "Shit!" we both shouted, running towards the locker room to get changed.

We both came out laughing realizing what we had done. The laughter died out when Yugi found out we were playing dodgeball...

* * *

 _Where are you?_ I read the message I'd received while I walked towards art class after making sure Yugi made it to history just fine.

 _On my way to art... Why?_ I responded.

 _We need to talk..._

 _About?_ Why wasn't Marik being straight with me? Why was he beating around the bush?

 _Meet me in the band hallway before lunch.._

 _Why should I do that?_

 _Well, that or we can bring up why you aren't living with your parents in front of everyone..._

Shit... He had me there, and he knew it... _How did you know that?_

 _Like I said.. Meet me in the band hallway.._

 _Fine... But no one else finds out..._

 _Deal._

I felt like I just signed my soul to the devil.. Marik was the manipulative of the twins.. He would bend and break you to his will. While Bakura was the thief. Together they were like an insane pair, but have all three of us against you, and you were asking for a trip to the psych ward.

* * *

It was lunch time, and I looked down the hallway to make sure Yugi had made it, sure enough he was outside with the others. "What do you want, Marik?" I asked, turning towards my older cousin.

"Why? Why did you leave home, and why do your parents not seem a bit concerned?"

"I have my reasons... Apparently they have theirs as well.."

"How are you paying for this school, Yami?"

"I have my ways.."

My answers were only making him more angry with me. But, it wasn't any of his business, and I didn't want anyone to pity me. What happened, happened. It was done, over with, and out of mind. He slammed his fist into the wall next to my head. "What the hell is wrong with you?! What if Seto finds out-"

I cut him off, shoving him back against the wall opposite and grabbing the collar of his shirt. "Seto. Doesn't. Find. Out. Got that? You keep your big mouth shut, or I'll make sure it stays that way." I pushed off him and started walking away, heading towards the lunch room.

"I don't understand why it's such a big deal," he growled "I just asked a question."

I stopped, turning back to face him. "You're right. It's not a big deal... It's also none of your business.. I take care of myself, and that's all you need to know..."

I continued walking away, heading towards Yugi. I wrapped my arms around him, earning me another elbow to the stomach that sent me to the ground.

"You know... I'd apologize, but I think he needs to learn not to sneak up on me..." He turned towards me as he finished his conversation. "Ten o'clock tonight. Ryou and Malik are joining us at my place for dinner, and I'd advise you to be there by 10:30 or mom will serve dinner without you."

I held my thumb up, still trying to recover from the elbow to the stomach. We sat down and talked, I noticed a lot of tension coming from Marik, but apparently no one else noticed it. I was okay with that though, I didn't need questions.. I could already tell that we were not going to get along from here out. The bell rang and Yugi and I walked out of the lunch room, heading to math.

* * *

I stood in the hallway and waited for Yugi so we could walk to class together. "So how's your day been...?" he asked, a smile on his face. There were very rare cases when a smile wasn't on his face, but I loved seeing the smile.

"Why do you ask?" I asked, narrowing my eyes playfully. He shrugged and I wrapped my arm around him, pulling him closer, not being able to hide the smirk. "It was alright."

I took a step closer and he side stepped with me, making it so the same space was still between us. "Nice try" he teased, our conversation getting interrupted by Ushio stepping in front of us.

My anger had been laying dormant all day, but now it was bubbling.. I was okay, and I was going to snap at the drop of a coin or anything, but I was still pretty pissed off. "Everyone here thinks you're so cool, Sennen. But in reality, it looks like daddy just raised a little faggot!" He yelled and I turned to look at Yugi. His eyes looked like he was scared, and silently begging me to walk away. I rolled my eyes and we started to walk away. I was going to be nice, and walk away, let sleeping dogs lay... I was fine with him talking shit about me, I didn't care.. "And your whore bait boyfriend isn't any better!"

I whipped around fast enough that I was sure my knee popped. I got in Ushio's face, letting him know he'd crossed the line. "You got something to say, mother fucker? Cuz my face is right here, you fucking coward. Say it to me face to face."

He snorted, and it only proved to piss me off even more.. "I thought I made myself clear, must have too much cum in your ear to hear me. I said your little boyfriend is a whore bait faggot."

That was the final straw.. The first punch met his face, and that started the damn thing. Fists were thrown left and right, and adrenaline was pumping. I was going to beat the shit out of him, and make him pay for all the bullying being done to Yugi. All my anger and rage was about to be unleashed, and he was going to receive every goddamn bit of it.

The fight didn't stop until two teachers pulled us apart, both of us breathing heavily. "You three, office. Now."

"Yugi didn't do anything wrong" I told the teacher, glaring at her.

"Except become a faggot" Ushio commented and I whipped my head back around to face him, intent on punching him again.

"Enough!" She shouted, gaining everyone's attention. "Lets go. All three of you!" Ushio and I had to walk in front of her, while Yugi walked behind her. "You, sit down" she told Ushio as we arrived at the principal's office. "The two of you, go in the principal's office. Principal McGee will be in there shortly."

"Yugi still-"

"Go."

"I'm sorry..." I apologized, I felt terrible that he got in trouble too..

"It's fine. Daddy will love you" he said, a smile on his face.

How could he be smiling right now? I winced a bit as the adrenaline started to fade and the pain became real. We sat down and it didn't take long for the principal to join us, bringing in with him Yugi's parents and sister. Shit.

"So, Mr. Sennen," here we go... "the phone number we have for your parents has been disconnected. Would you care to explain?"

"Not really" I said, leaning back and crossing my arms. Goddamn it...

"Maybe we should just call your father's office" he replied, reaching his hand for his phone.

I quickly sat up, slamming my hand down on the phone to hold it in place. "My father doesn't like to be disturbed" I growled lowly, the threat lacing the words like silk. "Why don't you just tell me what you have to say? I'd love to hear your opinion."

"Since you two started this dating fiasco-" I started laughing. I couldn't help it. He went on talking to Yugi, while I pretty much lost my goddamn mind. He was going to get it.. All that anger, here comes hell..

"but please continue" Yugi finished, and my laughter died away, making way for unsheathed fury.

"A fiasco? Dating, fiasco... Hm.. So, two straight people get together, and it's fine. Everyone is okay with that. But the popular kid gets with the new kid, as a gay couple, and it's a fucking fiasco?! You wanna know what the real failure here is?" I growled, standing up and leaning on the desk, watching as the principal stiffened slightly. Oh, he knew he was in trouble. "It's this goddamn school. You guys are okay with kids fighting each other, until the blame can be pinned on the innocent. That's when you guys step in!"

I heard Yugi's mother say something, but it wasn't registering to me through all my anger. "Yugi didn't do a goddamn thing and you dragged him down here! Why?! Because he's my boyfriend, so why not see if you can blame him for something?! Well FUCK YOU! Yugi didn't fight! I fucking did! You got something to say, got a punishment to give?! Give it to me. Let me fucking hear you! But if I find out that you gave Yugi any sort of punishment whatsoever, I will have Kaiba Corp, and Sennen Inc in here so goddamn fast you won't get time to blink before you get shut down and shit down your throat!"

I shook my head, taking a second to breathe and think rationally. Yugi stood up and leaned against me, my arm moving to wrap around him. "You wanna know what the real problem is here? You wanna solve all your problems? Stop the bullying. I don't care what's said about me, I really don't. But the bullshit on Yugi, it better stop. Or I'll keep going through this school, punching people out left and right, because it doesn't bother me to sit in here and listen to your bullshit. It won't hurt my feelings to get detention, or suspension, whatever you choose to do. But, so help me. If anything happens to Yugi, or anyone bullies him again, hell hath no fury like that of a pissed off Sennen. And you will regret the day you didn't heed my warning." I let my arm drop and moved around to the door. "I have somewhere to be, so if you would kindly fuck off, that'd be great," I growled, leaving the room.

"Good luck, princess" I spat towards Ushio as I walked past him.

I made my way to the bathroom, looking in the mirror to see the damages. There was a cut under my eye, and my lip was busted open. The rest were just bruises. I leaned forward, wincing a bit as I touched my cheek, my hand going back down to the sink. I looked down as someone walked in, I just wanted to cool off.. I couldn't go into work hot, I'd lose my job..

"Look at me, Yami" Yugi said, his hand touching my back as he walked up behind me. I looked up into the mirror, looking at Yugi's reflection, before dropping my sight to the wall at my right. Yugi sat on the counter in front of me, gently turning my head so I was looking at him. "Look at me, Yami, not the mirror." His eyes... They looked so worried, so pitiful... "Are you okay...?"

"Yeah, I'm fine..." No.. I'm not fine...

"Don't lie to me, Yami. I've let it slide once, but it won't be happening again. Talk to me..." I looked away, I didn't deserve to look at him.. I'd gotten him in trouble... Probably just got myself suspended as well... "Yami, the most important thing in a relationship is trust. If you can't trust me enough to tell me how you're feeling, then what does that tell you?" I looked back at him. Trust... Trust was hard... My parents had ruined my trust... Now it was hard to trust anyone.. But.. I cared for Yugi... I cared about Yugi... He meant a lot to me, and it scared me.. "You don't have to say why..."

I sighed, maybe just telling him would help me a little bit.. "I'm stressed out... And worried. And angry. And I might just kill someone..."

He sighed and leaned against me, as sore as I was, I actually didn't mind it. "Was that so hard...?"

"No... Now, when did you get so confident?" I smirked as I looked down and noticed his legs on either side of my hips.

He blushed, struggling to reply. "I-I... I was just... Trying to get you... To look at me..." I pressed our lips together, and he melted, sighing as my arms went around his waist. I lived for these moments.. Just the two of us, and it didn't matter what we were doing. Just talking was good enough for me. He was just so happy, and the little ray of sunshine that I needed.. We pulled apart after a minute and that smile was back on his face. "You're going to be okay. And remember whenever you want to kill someone... There's no Joey in jail."

My smile came off as more of a smirk "There's also no you in jail," it was true... Joey was my best friend, and I wouldn't trade him for the world, but... Yugi meant so much more... I found that I meant those words a lot more than what it sounded like. "I have to go. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

He nodded. "You're still coming for dinner, right?"

"If I'm welcome, then yes, I will still be coming over for dinner."

I walked out of the bathroom, noticing Yugi's mother standing there. I bowed at the waist, my hands going to my thighs. "I'm sorry," I said before leaving. I was late to work, or I would've stayed longer.

* * *

Work was a bore and I was so stiff that it literally hurt to exist. I got to Yugi's house and discovered that I now had more reason to fear his sister... A weapons room... Oh joy...

Akira seemed rather joyful as we took our seats. "I was just about to call you all in here. Take a seat, please. Yami has to sit by Yugi though... It's common courtesy for the rest of you to allow that," her eyes turned to me, and I didn't find any sort of malice in them. She was truly happy. "Thank you, dear, for protecting my baby..." she seemed to trail off a bit as she looked at me, her eyes widening a bit. "My God! What happened to you? No, don't answer that! I know already. The real statement is: that wound looks horrid!"

"Yeah, I know... I didn't have anything to cover it up with..."

She left the room and I was very highly confused. I looked at Yugi who smiled in return. "Just sit still. She'll be right back, probably with my dad... You didn't do anything wrong."

Sure enough she returned with a first aid kit and Mr. Moro in tow. She knelt in front of me and started cleaning my face. "I will never understand how you boys manage to get so dirty."

Zachariah chuckled at her fussing. "Akria, I highly doubt any of us boys – or Amaterasu, for that matter – will ever understand how you stay so clean."

She placed a band aid on the cut under my eye. Is this what moms were supposed to do? She stood up and I just looked at her, pretty sure confusion was the only emotion on my face. "Don't be an asshole, Zachariah," she told him before turning back to me. "Does your mother not take care of your wounds?"

I shrugged, hell if I knew.. "I told you; I rarely see her.."

"Well, you're welcome here anytime."

As we ate I got to wondering.. What was wrong with my family? Here was a family that could sit and laugh together just fine.. Why was my family so broken? Why was I fending for myself at the age of sixteen instead of smiling and laughing with my parents? Was it me? Did we just not trust each other enough? Or did we trust too much?

"Um.. Yami... Does your neck hurt...?" Yugi asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

I shrugged, not really.. "A little."

He pulled out his phone and soon after, mine went off. I pulled it out and rolled my eyes "Really?"

"Yep!"

It turns out that it had been Amaterasu that had been texting me this morning... Something about a lyric prank... I didn't really get it, but at least I knew it was her. And I'd gained her approval as well.. She was super excited about her weapon room, and I was going to do everything to avoid that room.. The rest of dinner was pretty peaceful, and I walked home afterwards.

I looked at the lovely array of marks that covered me. Old scars still lay on my back, new bruises covered my ribs, shoulders, neck, and face. Multitudes of lumps were everywhere, and I couldn't wait to explain everything to Joey tomorrow... I groaned "Oh, boy..."

* * *

Nickey: Oh yeah! This is the one where Yugi nitpicks about grammar... Your Aibou is a grammar nerd...

Yami: Didn't we go through this once before? Your Aibou wrote the chapter...

Nickey: Actually, Mr. Smarty Pants, this is my chapter!

Yami: But your Aibou wrote the scene!

Nickey: * pulls out a knife * You wanna go?

Kitty: You get yours and I'll get mine?

Yugi: Deal. *grabs Yami, Kitty grabs Nickey*

Nickey: Anyway! We hope you all enjoyed! :D And if you're ever out visiting the North Pole, watch for a Yami tied to it! :D

Yami: Not again!

Nickey: CIAO!

Yami: * groans *

Kitty: Nothing we can do for ya Yami. Peace, babes!

Yugi: *laughs* Bye~!


	16. Chapter 15: First Time and Party

Nickey: What's up guys! :D How's it goin? How ya guys doin?

Yami: You seem pretty cheerful... It's odd...

Nickey: That's because I get to make fun of Kitty for farting a dead person around xD

Kitty: *pouts* I meant to say carting a dead person around... Not my fault.

Nickey: Either way. We were talking about crematory jewelry, and I think it's neat, but Kitty's autocorrect hates her...

Yugi: And she really doesn't like the idea of that jewelry... Can't say I particularly blame her...

Yami: They do make pretty jewelry...

Nickey: And it's neat because you can still carry your loved ones with you and take them on adventures...

Kitty: You're gonna hate me when you find out why we were talking about crematory jewelry. Hehe.

Yugi: If they don't already... I mean, you put me -

Kitty: *covers Yugi's mouth* NO! BAD YUGI! NO SPOILERS!

Nickey: Anyway! Hope you guys and gals enjoy this chapter that I'm gonna have to read to remember what happens xD We're really far ahead... So... Ciao! :D

Yami: *waves*

Kitty: See you in a bit! I'm gonna go figure out what this chapter is about!

Yugi: See you later! *puts in tape*

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

* * *

Chapter 15

First Time and Party

"Don't be such a little baby, Yugi," Bakura shouted, laughing cruelly. "It doesn't hurt that much." He stabbed the knife into my hand for a third time, digging just a little bit deeper. "Does it?"

I shook my head as tears streamed down my face. "Bakura, please stop..." I begged as he turned towards the door and walked away from me. "I'm begging you..."

He kept walking away and I could hear the cruel smirk in his voice as he laughed and replied. "No, I will not stop until you quit being such a baby," he said, turning back towards me with a dagger in his hand.

The door opened, and a mop of blonde hair came into the room and grabbed another dagger off the wall. "Tie him to the wall," Marik said, laughing as he also grabbed a throwing knife. "I wanna play aim at the shrimp..."

Bakura laughed and walked towards me with a rope. "What a great idea, Psycho," he said. He tied me to the wall with the ropes by hanging them over hooks, and a few more tears fell from my eyes as sobs forced themselves out of my mouth.

Marik threw knives at me, getting closer with each one until one hit my earlobe. I cried out in pain as another skimmed my neck. Another went through my middle finger, sticking it against the wall, which was covered in a substance I suspected to be the blood of their innocent victims.

"Okay," Bakura said when a knife went through my palm. "Give me my favorite one," he said to Marik, who grinned and ran to the wall with weapons lining it.

He grabbed one in particular that was flat and looked almost like a spatula, except sharp, and brought it to Bakura. "Here you go, Fluffy," Marik said, causing a growl from Bakura.

"My name isn't Fluffy, Psycho," Bakura said before turning back to me with the weapon. He placed it against my skin and started peeling some of it off. I cried out at the excessive pain, comparing it to burning alive and deciding which was better. Bakura's was worse...

My arm, my leg, and a piece from my cheek. He smirked devillishly as he lay each of the pieces of skin to the side. "We'll add those to the collection" he chuckled darkly. Blood was running from the parts where skin was missing, but they didn't seem to care as Marik grabbed more knives to throw. "Make a target, Fluffy... Let's play pin the shrimp now."

A target was made on my neck, my eyes widening as Bakura stepped away, satisfied with his work. The first one went into my left arm. "You suck" the white haired male commented.

"Shut up! I don't want to hit it right away."

"Whatever!"

The second was thrown, landing to the right of my head at eye level. "Third time's the charm" Marik chuckled darkly, throwing the knife in my direction.

ABCDEFGHIJKLM

I shot up in bed and let out a silent cry, careful not to wake my family up. Letting out a breath when I realized I had only been dreaming, I grabbed my phone off my nightstand, turning it on. The time changed to 1:23 as I tried to unlock it, and I groaned for two reasons: I had only been asleep for less than an hour, and I wouldn't be likely to get back to sleep anytime soon. I opened Yami's contact, debating whether or not to call him before deciding against it; he was probably asleep anyway.

It was a Monday, and only two weeks before Thanksgiving day, to the excitement of my whole family. Amaterasu would be celebrating her birthday that day since she was born on the 20th of November, and it was so close to Thanksgiving. Besides, she wanted our grandfather on dad's side to be there, and he was coming up the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

I meant to back out of the contact, but instead, I hit call. "Shit!" I muttered, moving to hang it up but instead hearing Yami's sleepy, "Hello...?"

I blushed. "Um... Hey, Yami..." I muttered. "Sorry... I didn't mean to call you... I accidentally hit the call button..."

Yami chuckled. "Well... What's up...?" he asked. "You went to bed like an hour ago..."

I sighed. "I may or may not have had another nightmare..." I muttered.

Yami yawned. "Well, tell me about it..." I explained the dream to him, letting a few tears of fear out, and he seemed angry by the end of it. "I'm going to kill those bastards!" he hissed.

I shook my head. "No! Don't do that!" I shouted. "It was just a dream, not their fault. I just don't know them well enough to know what they'd do. My imagination always does that when I don't know someone very well, and I don't think they're interested in letting me get to know them at this point."

Yami hummed. "So did your mind do that with me?" he asked.

I shook my head, forgetting that he couldn't see it for a moment. "No, it didn't, but I got to know you kinda quick, and you've only intrigued me. Never terrified me. They, on the other hand, are very scary people," I said.

Yami laughed. "I imagine they are if you didn't grow up with them," he commented. "They learned pretty damn quick not to fuck with me when I put a rattlesnake in Balura's pillow and a tarantula in Marik's sheets..."

I laughed with him. "You know... Once upon a time, I'd be shocked that someone would actually do that," I said to him.

Yami laughed. "And once upon a time, I'd be shocked about a lot of things," he said. "Including the fact that anyone could be as cute and innocent as you..."

I blushed at that and groaned. "Stop it~" I whined. "Flirt with me at school tomorrow," I muttered.

"Alright, but remember that you're the one who told me to," he teased. I smiled. "Hey, I'm gonna give you my Skype, k?"

"Um... I'll give you mine too then..." I said.

He nodded before reciting his: KingofDarkness101. Mine was KingofGames.

He laughed. "I need to go, Aibou," he said. "I didn't get much sleep last night, so I'm off to bed..."

I smiled, yawning myself. "Alright. I think I might sleep too," I said. We exchanged our final goodbyes, and I went back to sleep.

NOPQRSTUVWXYZ

First period Wednesday morning was boring, since Malik and I had just been talking all class, the teacher giving up on scolding us for it when we answered all of her questions correctly. Joey wasn't there that day for some reason, but I bumped into Yami on the way to gym.

"Hey," I said, wrapping my arms around him. "How was first period... Wait, don't answer that," I added, groaning. "Sorry; I'm exhausted..."

"But... you went to sleep after we hung up, didn't you?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, but I'm talking about the mental exhaustion, not the physical kind," I said. "It's been happening more and more often. No matter how long I sleep, my mind is still foggy..."

Yami looked confused. "But... you seem fine whenever we're with the guys..." he said.

I nodded. "Yeah, it's called acting," I answered. "It's one of my many talents, and I usually use it to convince my loved ones that nothing's wrong. The only problem is that it takes a lot of mental energy to do 24/7, and I don't have that energy..." It was then that I noticed that Yami wouldn't look at me and blushed when he did. "Hey, is something up?"

He shook his head. "Nope! Oh! Look at the time! I think we should hurry and get to the gym!" With that said, he grabbed my wrist and ran, half dragging me behind him.

When we got to the gym, I groaned before noticing that Joey was nowhere to be seen. "Where's -" When I turned around to look at Yami, he was already gone. I groaned and walked to Ryou. "Hey," I said.

He smiled. "Hey," he whispered, looking in his locker. "Can I talk to you before class, or is Yami wanting something?"

I shrugged. "With him, nobody knows. I'm pretty sure we'll be alone, though," I said. "He's been acting weird all morning. Go ahead. If he comes up, I'll push him away."

Ryou nodded. "Well... I've been having these... feelings... recently. And I've been wondering..." I nodded at Ryou to show I was listening. "How do you know... when you're in love...?"

I smiled. "Grandpa Moto always said that you have to answer yourself three questions: do you want to be with this person all the time? Do you think about this person all the time? And do you hate when others stare at this person? If you answer yes to all of these questions, you're in love..." I answered.

Ryou nodded. "Well... Your grandpa sounds like a very wise man..." he said.

I nodded. "He is. Maybe you can meet him over Thanksgiving," I said.

Ryou nodded and looked at me. "Yugi, I think I'm in love..." he said.

I smiled. I was going to reply but felt a presence behind me, and groaned, knowing it was Yami. "Go the fuck away, Yami," I growled, pushing him without looking in his direction. When he didn't take the hint, I turned and glared at him. Now, with my soft features and welcoming eyes, one would think my glare would be scary, but I had a way of using those to my advantage. The soft features made the glare something unexpected for me to do, and my eyes became cold and emotionless when I was annoyed. "Go. Away," I said. "I'm talking to someone."

Yami nodded and slowly backed away, and I smiled as I turned back to Ryou. "So... if I'm to be completely honest, I think I might be in love too," I said in a whisper so Yami wouldn't hear me.

Ryou nodded. "We all figured it would come eventually," he said. "Yami's very attractive, and with the way the two of you are practically glued at the hip, it was bound to happen sooner or later."

I smiled. "I'm glad you're in love," I said to him. "Is it Bakura?"

Ryou blushed and nodded. "H-how'd you guess?" he asked.

I smiled at him as I took off my shirt. Feeling eyes staring at me, I turned and caught Yami just as he looked away from me. I turned back to Ryou and smiled. "Well, you're gay, and he's the only single guy in the group, and you wouldn't let yourself fall in love with someone who's already taken because a) you don't like pain, and b) you're not that kind of person. And then the amount of time you spend watching him is kind of obvious. Anyone else might believe that you're watching to make sure he doesn't take anything, but I don't, Ryou. I watch a lot more than you realize," I answered as I pulled on my gym clothes just as the coach called us into the gym.

Ryou smiled. "Is it obvious...?" he asked as we left.

I shook my head. "Nah, not unless you're actually watching. Nickey might know, and I know. But I doubt anyone else does," I answered. Ryou nodded, and we went to sit on the bench by Yami, who still looked a little scared.

ABCDEFGHIJKLM

At lunch, I invited everyone to my house after school, smiling when everyone but Yami, Bakura, and Marik agreed. Yami didn't agree because he had some sort of errand to do while Marik and Bakura just didn't want to go, but other than that, everyone was coming. I shied away from Marik and Bakura the whole time, leaning into Yami, who was refusing to look at me without blushing.

"Um... I'm gonna go to the bathroom," he said halfway through lunch, standing up without warning. Because I had been leaning on him, I ended up falling.

When he was out of earshot, everyone looked at me. "What's up with him?" Kitty asked.

I shrugged. "Hell if I know," I said. "I've been trying to figure that out all day... I'm gonna go check on him..." Everyone nodded, and I got up and followed Yami.

He went into one of the bathrooms and washed his face off with water, muttering to himself. "What's going on?" I asked.

Yami jumped a little and turned around to look me in the eyes, only to blush and turn back around. "Nothing's wrong..." He muttered. "Why would something be wrong?"

I shrugged. "I don't know; you tell me. You've barely looked at me all day, and when you have, you've blushed and looked away. And you know just as well as I do that you and blushing don't go together." I tried meeting his gaze, but he wouldn't even agree to it in the mirror, so I sat on the counter like I had the day he had that fight with Ushio and forced him to look me in the eyes. "Yami, don't avoid me. Tell me what's wrong..." I muttered.

"I um... I've been having some um... certain... um... dreams... about certain... um... things..." he answered, hesitating.

I grew worried. "Did you have a nightmare?" I asked. "Oh my God! I'm so so so so sorry! It's my fault! I shouldn't always turn to you when I have them! Oh my God, Yami, I'm so so-" I rambled before he closed my mouth with a finger to my lips, confusing me. Usually when he wanted me to shut up, he'd kiss me, which was one of many reasons I loved to rant with him around.

"Shut up and listen," he said. "It wasn't a nightmare... Quite the opposite, actually..." he continued, staring at me with a light blush - or, more accurately, my lips.

I blushed at my assumption. "Oh..." I said. "Okay... Go on..."

He blushed a little more as he continued. "Well... we... you and I... we were... um... we were..."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Yami, we haven't got all day..." I said. He said it so quickly that I had to ask him to repeat it.

"You and I were... making out..." he said. "And not that wimpy, kissing only making out... It was the heated kind..."

I smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. "You were embarrassed to tell me this because...?" I asked him, not pulling away and letting my lips brush against his.

"I don't know," he muttered against my lips, leaving them tingling as he took a step forward so that his stomach was touching the counter and pulling me forward so that I was on the edge of the counter. "But if I'd have known you'd do this, I'd have told you sooner..."

I smiled against his lips and pushed harder against them as I wrapped my arms around his neck. His hands met my waist as he kissed me back. He grabbed my bottom lip between his teeth and pulled it into his mouth, sucking on it. I let out a quiet moan at the feeling I had never before experienced, and his tongue darted into my mouth and began an exploration of sorts. When he rubbed against the top of my mouth, I let out a muffled moan. He rubbed his tongue against the roof of my mouth again, and I let out another moan.

We briefly pulled apart for air, and Yami barely had time to mutter, "Sensitive much?" before we were kissing again. His hands made brief contact with the skin of my waist when my hands rose to grasp his hair, which caused my shirt to pull up. I shivered at the touch, but we kept kissing, this time letting our tongues play with each other: batting, pushing, stroking, and finally ending with mine trapping his to the roof of my mouth, which caused another muffled moan from me.

When we pulled apart for more air, our lips were barely touching. "How was that compared to your dream?" I asked, our lips brushing.

"Amazing," he answered before we were back to kissing, his hands slowly rising up under my shirt. One of my hands left his hair to pull the top of his back closer to me. The door opened, but Yami seemed to care even less than I did as neither of us pulled away. If they were bothered by it, they could go to another bathroom.

Yami pulled my bottom lip between his teeth again and began sucking on it, and I moaned at the feeling for a second time. When we pulled apart for breath a second time, Yami's head moved to my neck, and he started kissing me there, his hands still traveling up my skin. "Mmm," I moaned. "God, Yami," I said.

He pulled his lips off my neck when the bell rang for lunch to end. "C'mon, Yami," I said. "We need to get to class..."

"No..." he muttered, leaning back down to my lips and pulling me into another kiss before I could turn away. "Just another minute..." he muttered against them.

I nodded, wrapping my arms back around his neck and wrapping my hands in his hair. We kept kissing until the warning bell rang, and I jumped up. "Shit!" I shouted. "We're gonna be late, Yami! Stop," I said to him, turning away when he tried to kiss me again.

"Oh, come on!" he complained. "We're smarter than half of the kids in there!"

I shook my head and grabbed his wrist, running to the classroom with my backpack hitting my back. "No! I'm not in the mood for a detention because I was late!" I said, dragging him along. I was well aware that if I let him go, he'd walk and be late, thus making me late because I had no doubt that he would convince me to walk with him.

NOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Yami practically skipped into science behind me, something that worried me very much. His backpack was swinging as he sat at our table. "You feeling alright...?" I asked him, worried for his health.

Yami looked at me. "Well, let's see," he said, pulling me to sit on his lap. "I've got you right here. I've got a smile on my face. And oh yeah! My dream literally came true..." he said. "Yep, I think I'm good..."

I rolled my eyes. "You know, at one point I thought you looked like a dignified Pharaoh. Now, I only see a little kid," I told him.

Yami looked at me. "Is that really what you see in me?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Well, sometimes, yeah. Other times, I see the Titan Atlas hanging onto your heart..." He scrunched his eyebrows, and I laughed. "Does no one know Greek mythology?" I demanded.

"Mr. Moto, do you have something you would like to share with the whole class?" the teacher asked.

"Yes, actually, Sensei-san," I said in the formal tone of someone brought up in an Japanese American household. "I'd like to know if anyone knows who the Titan Atlas is?"

No one spoke up and I groaned. "Idiots need to learn mythology," I muttered to Yami as people started muttering to each other.

The girls beside us laughed and spoke so loudly I could hear them. "Yugi is such a nerd," one said.

"I know, right? I mean, Yami is so much better than him! Just look at Yami! He's a god," her friend said.

The first girl - I recognized her to be that Téa girl from when Yami and I first got together - laughed at that. "A sex god would be the more accurate term for it, actually," she said.

Her friend laughed. "Téa, you are so bad!" she exclaimed, lightly tapping the other girl's arm.

Yami looked about to get up, but I grabbed his arm and leaned towards him with a smile. "Remember what we talked about," I whispered to him. "It doesn't bother me; don't let it bother you. I have you, and you have me. They don't have either of us."

Yami remained stiff but nodded, and I leaned my head on his shoulder as I rubbed his arm. "Relax..." I told him. He slowly released the tension in his back, and his posture - although still straight - became more relaxed as he held himself with pride rather than anger. "You're too prideful," I joked.

He glared lightly at me, and I smiled at him. "Shut up," he muttered. Class went on with us talking - and Yami flirting with me - and by the end, I didn't want it to be over.

"So are you sure you can't come over?" I asked. "'Cause it won't be the same if you're not there..."

Yami smiled and hugged me. "I wish I could, but I have to do something..." he said.

I smiled back and nodded. "Fine, but you better not have fun..." I muttered.

He laughed. "I won't, aibou," he said, kissing my cheek and then walking off.

I walked to the gate, where I would be meeting Ryou and Malik to walk them to my house. Kitty and Nickey would change and then come to my house. "Hey," I said as I walked up to them. "You ready to go?"

"Yep," Malik said.

"Whenever you are," Ryou added before my sister pulled up in her Altima.

We all climbed in, talking - as Amaterasu drove us to the house. We all got out and grinned at one another. "So... What are we playing when we get in?" Ryou asked.

I shrugged. "We could play Truth or Dare when everyone else gets here," I suggested.

We went inside and waited for the girls, smiling when they came in. "We're playing Truth or Dare," Malik said. "And I'm gonna start!" He looked at me. "Yugi, truth or dare?"

I smiled. "I have to say... Dare..." I answered.

He smiled. "I dare you to send Yami a text saying that you love him," he said.

My eyes widened. "No..." I said... "I-I can't do that... I- That would be wrong... And it could ruin us..." I stuttered, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Do it or you lose first round..." Malik said.

I glared at him, and a visible shiver went down his spine. "Fine, but revenge is sweet, Ishtar," I said before sending Yami a text. Hey, you're probably busy right now... and I'm sorry... this really isn't something I should say over text... but... I love you

"There," I muttered, showing him my text messages as proof. "I sent it; happy now?"

"Very," Malik said. "Now it's your turn."

I smiled before looking at Kitty. She answered the question with a simple "Truth" and smile. "What's your biggest fear in a relationship?" I asked her.

She thought for a moment. "My biggest fear in a relationship would have to be that... the other person in the relationship tries to take credit for where I've gotten myself," she answered. She turned to Nickey, who answered before she could even ask. "I wasn't gonna ask... I was just gonna give you a dare..." Nickey nodded. "I dare you to act out the party scene from Romeo and Juliet..."

"Who's Juliet?" Nickey asked, not seeming to care much.

"Um... your decision. I don't care," Kitty said after what seemed to be a moment of thought.

"Alright, then," Nickey said, pulling Kitty to her feet. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand/This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:/My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand/To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss," she said as she placed her and Kitty's hands together.

Kitty smiled before tilting her head and looking at Nickey with a slightly scolding expression on her face. "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,/Which mannerly devotion shows in this,/For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,/And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss," she said.

The two continued to act out the scene together, and Ryou, Malik, and I all began clapping when they were finished. "Nickey, you are a great Romeo!" Ryou complimented.

"Kitty, you should audition for the Romeo and Juliet play the school is doing," Malik added.

Kitty nodded. "I was gonna ask mama about it when I got home. There was a poster in my English class about it," she said with a light blush.

"Enough with the play talk," Nickey said. "Ryou, truth or dare?" she asked.

"Um... Dare..." Ryou replied.

"I dare you to make out with Malik for five minutes," she said.

"What?!" Ryou demanded. "No, he's taken! That wouldn't be right to either him or Marik!"

Malik rolled his eyes. "Ryou, you act like Marik isn't used to me randomly kissing my friends to make him jealous," he said.

"There," Ryou said when they pulled away. "Yugi, truth or dare?"

"Dare," I answered.

"I dare you to initiate a make out session with Yami," Ryou asked.

I nodded. "It's a little late for that. I've already done it." I turned to Malik. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth..." he said.

I smirked. "Who in this room would you most like to have sex with?" I asked.

"None of you," Malik said. "You're not my type, any of you. So my answer is myself," he said.

Kitty leaned over to Nickey and whispered loudly, "Narcissistic much?"

"Oh, yes, very," Malik joked. We kept playing for another hour and a half until Ryou asked where Yami is.

I shrugged. "He said he had an errand to do," I said.

"What errand takes two hours to do?" Malik commented.

I shrugged. "I'm calling him, though. I have to talk to him about that text..." I replied.

"Hello...?" Yami asked when he picked up his phone.

"Yami? Are you okay...?" I asked him.

"Yeah, sure..." he answered.

"Look... About that text you got from me a couple of hours ago..." I said.

Yami interrupted me. "How's your afternoon been? Good, I hope? Mine has been absolutely boring. Did you know that people are super demanding?" I heard yelling and a sigh from Yami as he spoke. "Sorry, Yugi, but I have to go... I'll talk to you later..."

He hung up. "Bye..." I said to the phone before walking back downstairs. "Alright, what do you want to play now?" I asked them.

ABCDEFGHIJKLM

It was around midnight by the time everyone left, and I was exhausted. Before I could go to bed, though, I wanted to call Yami. Originally, I was just going to use the phone, but then I saw his Skype on my desk and sighed, using that to call him.

"Hey," he said, "I wasn't expecting you to call me..."

"Texhnically," I replied as I lay down on my bed. "I didn't call you. I Skyped you."

Yami rolled his eyes. "What's up?" he asked.

"What was all that yelling earlier? Before you got off?" I asked.

Yami shrugged. "My boss was rushing me to get back to work," he said. "I was on my break."

I tilted my head to the left a little, an unconscious action I had gotten from my mom. "I thought you only worked on weekends," I said...

Yami laughed. "Babe, I hate to break it to you," he said jokingly, "but I work at the pet store on the weekends. The rest of the week I'm working at Maui Burger."

I frowned. "But... when do you not work? Surely you don't work everyday..." I replied.

Yami shrugged. "I do; don't tell anyone about it though... It's none of their damned business," he said.

I sighed. "I won't..." I muttered. "Anyway, I have to go. I have to get up at 5:00..."

Yami smirked. "I don't," he boasted. I glared at him, and he shuddered. "Stop doing that," he said.

I smiled innocently. "If you think that's dooming, then just wait... You've got even more in store," I replied before hanging up and cuddling into my sheets to sleep.

* * *

Nickey: So uh, quick question here... Kitty, did you type in 123 and put a colon in it? Or was 1:23 just a random time you got?

Kitty: ... Just a random time.

Nickey: Just weird for the time to have been 1:23 xD Also, Yami had certain dreams this chapter~~

Yami: *blushes* Sh-Shut up, Nickey!

Kitty: Nickey, be nice to Yami! You're not supposed to make him blush!

Yugi: Yeah! That's my job!

Nickey: It was funny~

Yami: No it wasn't...

Nickey: I thought it was :3 Also, Yugi and his greek gods and goddesses xD

Yami: Don't you pick on my Aibou...

Nickey: Also... Stupid truth or dare games... I just don't get what people see in those games...

Kitty: I beg to differ! ToD is awesome! Would you rather I join in with Seven Minutes in Heaven?

Yugi: That's a good game... And ToD is just a good way to kill time and figure out where your friends draw the line for what you do and don't do!

Nickey: And Yami is scared of Yugi's glares :3

Yami: Who wouldn't be?! His glares are scary!

Nickey: Uhhh... *points to self* Me. I'm not scared of him...

Yami: *glares*

Nickey: Not scared of you either...

Kitty: Those two can't get along for two seconds can they?

Yugi: No, they cannot. I'm gonna go take care of my Yami. You take care of yours...

Kitty: Deal. Bye~!


	17. Chapter 16: Home Sweet Hell

**Nickey: Sup, ladies and bitches! xD Welcome, Gentlemen and assholes of all ages!**

 **Yami: * facepalms * You really gotta stop being mean to the readers...**

 **Nickey: * Puts a hand in Yami's face * Welcome to the Post show! I'll be your host today! :D**

 **Kitty: Yeah... Hi!**

 **Yugi: Konichiwa, sons of bitches!**

 **Kitty: LE GASP! Language!**

 **Nickey: And in today's show, we have a special topic! :D**

 **Yami: * rolls his eyes * here it goes...**

 **Nickey: I gave Kitty a quarter machine ring... We're kind of engaged now... :D**

 **Kitty: Happened from an idea... Nickey's planning the wedding...**

 **Yugi: And M thinks Nickey's crazy...**

 **Nickey: Kitty WUVS~ me :D She says not the new way until after we're married though... xD**

 **Kitty: At least until then Mickey.**

 **Yami: Oh gods...**

 **Yugi: Please. You didn't even wait for marriage.**

 **Nickey: Anyway! You guys and gals enjoy your reading! I have a wedding to plan! Bye! :D**

 **Yami: I'm gonna go make sure blood ISN'T in that equation...**

 **Kitty: I'm gonna put the tape in today! *slides tape in* See yo-**

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 16

Home Sweet Hell

I sat on the couch- wait... Couch? When the hell did a couch get in my apartment?

"Yami~" Yugi sang, appearing out of the darkness in front of me.

When the hell did he get here?

He walked forward, swinging his legs to either side of mine, straddling my lap. His eyes were darker, glinting with all sorts of mischief... I couldn't find it in me to speak, I could only watch. His hand went up to hold my face, his legs wiggling so he could move closer. He leaned forward, his face getting closer and closer to mine. What was he up to..?

Our lips met, and I couldn't find it in me to care what he was doing. His lips were sweet, like strawberries, soft.. All I could find in my head was him. Not that it was a bad thing, but when said boyfriend was currently straddling your hips, imagination could conjure up more than you can handle...

I heard a noise, but I chose to ignore it.. I didn't even know where it was coming from..

I slipped my tongue in his mouth, wanting more of the taste. Yugi didn't seem to mind as his tongue met mine. My hands went to his hips while our tongues danced, the movement pulling a moan from him that I wanted to hear again. His arms went around my neck, my own hands sliding up his shirt.

The noise got louder, causing me to open my eyes and look around. Yugi started placing butterfly kisses around my neck. Why was he not concerned with the noise? Did he not hear that? Maybe I was going crazy.. A bite to my neck assured me I was about to go insane.. Yep.. I'm going crazy.. I smashed our lips together once again, nipping at his bottom lip.

An air horn went off and I shot up.. Looking around, I found that I was in my bed.. Alone.. In my apartment.. There wasn't a couch, and there wasn't a Yugi in sight either..

"A dream.." I sighed, rolling over and shutting off my alarm. "Why did it feel so real?"

I got up and got in the shower, hoping it would bring me out of my trance a bit. Unfortunately, it didn't.. I got dressed, combing my hair back and looking the mirror. What had happened? Sure we'd been together a month, but nothing like that had happened...

I threw my work clothes in my bag, grabbing my keys and locking my door on the way out. I went to the spot I usually meet Joey, only to not find him there... I pulled out my phone and sent him a text to find out if he was coming. Where you at?

It didn't take long for the reply. Sick today. Not gonna be in.

Alright. Take it easy, bub.

Will do.

Poor Joey, he rarely ever got sick, and when he did it was always really bad. I walked into the school, heading towards gym, only to be stopped when a pair of arms wrapped around me. "Hey" Yugi greeted. "How was first period... Wait, don't answer that... Sorry; I'm exhausted..."

"You went to sleep after we hung up, didn't you?" Did he not sleep at all last night?

"Yeah, but I'm talking about the mental exhaustion, not the physical kind... It's been happening more and more often. No matter how long I sleep, my mind is still foggy..."

Wait... But... "But.. you seem fine whenever we're with the guys..."

"Yeah, it's called acting..." I watched him as he talked, his usually sparkling eyes clouding over, the dream replaying in my head.. I quickly looked away, feeling my face heat up. "Hey, is something up?"

I shook my head. "Nope! Oh! Look at the time! I think we should hurry and get to the gym!" I quickly grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the gym, ignoring his questions. Once we reached the gym I let go, before he got to ask any questions, I quickly sprinted off towards the changing rooms.

After getting changed I walked up behind Yugi, who was talking to Ryou. I just wanted to know what they were doing. Yugi groaned and pushed me back, not looking my way. "Go away, Yami." What did I do? He turned and glared at me, I suddenly felt very small. "Go. Away. I'm talking to someone."

I nodded and backed up, sitting on a nearby bench and waiting patiently. Eventually they finished talking and came over to sit down.

ABD

Lunch came and that damn dream was still buzzing in the back of my head. Yugi came over and invited everyone to a party while we sat there. "Are you gonna come, Yami?" I quickly looked away, my face heating up again.

"As much as I would love to, I have an errand to run after school.." Or just go to work... Sorry about that lie, Yugi...

Marik and Bakura didn't want to go, which I was fine with after Monday's nightmare... Yugi still seemed a little worked up over it, proving so as he leaned into me. I still couldn't look at him though... Every time I did, I saw the dream all over again..

"Um... I'm gonna go to the bathroom" I said, standing up without warning, and accidentally letting Yugi hit the ground.

I ran into the bathroom, supporting myself on the counter before I started splashing water on my face. I had to get this dream out of my head, or I'd never be able to look at Yugi again.. I grabbed paper towel and dried my face off. "What's wrong?"

I jumped at the sudden intrusion, when had he come in? "Nothing's wrong... Why would something be wrong?" Shit. He's on to me... What if he thinks bad of me for the dream? I wasn't trying to dream it up... I didn't mind it, but I didn't purposely do it!

"I don't know; you tell me. You've barely looked at me all day, and when you have, you've blushed and looked away. And you know just as well as I do that you and blushing don't go together." I continued looking in the mirror, refusing to meet his eyes. I couldn't.. He jumped up on the counter once again, just like he had when Ushio and I had fought, forcing me to look into his eyes. "Yami, don't avoid me. Tell me what's wrong..."

I sighed, there was no way of getting out of it this time... "I um... I've been having some um... certain... um... dreams... about certain... um... things..."

His eyes widened slightly and I saw the worry across his face. "Did you have a nightmare? Oh my God! I'm so so so so sorry! It's my fault! I shouldn't always turn to you when I have them! Oh my God, Yami, I'm so so-" I stopped him, putting a finger to his lips. I didn't know if I could control myself if I kissed him to shut up..

"Shut up and listen. It wasn't a nightmare... Quite the opposite, actually..." His mouth was hanging open slightly and I got lost for a minute, my face heating up without me realizing it.

"Oh... Okay... Go on..." I blinked and looked back into his eyes once his lips started moving.

Please don't hate me for this... "Well... we... you and I... we were... um... we were..."

He rolled his eyes, a sure sign that I should stop beating around the bush and tell him. "Come on, Yami, we haven't got all day..."

"Weweremakingout" I spit out quickly, only causing him to tilt his head and ask me to repeat it. "You and I were... making out... And not that wimpy, kissing making out... It was the heated kind..."

I was expecting him to call me a pervert.. Laugh at me.. Slap me... I was NOT expecting him to lean forward and kiss me. He pulled away, but our lips still touched. "You were embarrassed to tell me this because why...?"

"I don't know," my mind was like jello right now.. I was standing on cloud nine, and no one was ever going to drop me. I took a step forward, pressing my stomach against the counter and pulled Yugi to the edge. "But if I'd have known you'd do this, I'd have told you sooner..."

He smiled, then pressed his lips on mine, his arms going around my neck to hold me close. I put my hands on his waist, kissing him back. I grabbed his bottom lip in my teeth, pulling it into my mouth and sucking on it. The moan he let out made me want more. I pressed our mouths together, my tongue going into his. I rubbed it against the roof of his mouth and got rewarded with another moan, muffled by the connection. I wanted to hear it again, so I repeated my actions, surely enough, he let out another moan.

We pulled apart for air, only for a second, but I couldn't help the smirk that went across my face. "Sensitive much?" I got muffled by the connecting of our lips once again. His hands went up into my hair, and felt skin beneath my fingers. He shivered at the touch, and I moved my fingers along his skin lightly. His hands balled into fists, holding my head into our little playful tongue war. Which ended when Yugi trapped my to the roof of his mouth, causing him to moan again.

We pulled apart for air, but didn't separate. "How was that compared to your dream?"

"Amazing.." I was a puddle of goo, wrapped around his damn pinky finger.. Probably the pinky finger that was still tightly wrapped in my hair.. I found that I liked my hair being pulled, at least.. When Yugi did it, I did. He didn't pull, so much as control me with it..

Once again, we were back to kissing. My hands started an exploration of their own, making their way up Yugi's shirt to feel the skin hidden beneath. It was so soft.. There weren't multiple scars, there was nothing.. His skin was still untouched, and beautiful.. I was beginning to wonder if he really was perfect...

One of his hands dropped between my shoulder blades and pulled me closer to him, pressing our chests together. I thought I heard a door open, but I couldn't care.. I started playing with his bottom lip again, nipping and sucking on it, which earned another moan. We pulled apart again, but I wasn't ready to breathe just yet. I moved my kisses to his neck, trailing them all around it, while my hands worked their way up, touching his rib cage. "Mmm" Yugi moaned "God, Yami..."

The bell rang and I pulled back to stop him from leaving. "C'mon, Yami. We need to get to class..."

"No..." I muttered, leaning back down to press our lips together again. "Just another minute..." I refused to break the kiss. I wanted more of them.

I seemed to persuade him to stay a little longer. His arms went back around my neck, his hands going up to tangle in my hair. We continued kissing until the warning bell rang, which caused Yugi to jump up. "Shit! We're gonna be late, Yami! Stop," he said, turning away when I tried to kiss him again.

"Oh, come on!" I whined. "We're smarter than half of the kids in there!"

He shook his head as he grabbed my wrist, making me run along with him. "No! I'm not in the mood for a detention because I was late!" While running, I used the time to flatten my hair back down so it wasn't sticking up. Didn't need to make it look like we were doing anything other than kissing in the bathroom...

ABD

I felt like I was floating all through the day.. I don't even remember half of my classes.. I had quite a bit of bounce in my step as I went into science, feeling absolutely giddy. Yugi looked concerned, but I was just unimaginably happy.. "You feeling alright...?" he asked, looking at me like I'd sprouted a second head.

"Well," I said, taking my seat and pulling him into my lap "let's see... I've got you right here. I've got a smile on my face. And oh yeah! My dream literally came true... Yep, I think I'm good..."

He rolled his eyes, though I was being playful, I meant the words I'd said. "You know, at one point I thought you looked like a dignified Pharaoh. Now, I only see a little kid..."

"Is that really what you see in me?"

"Well, sometimes, yeah. Other times, I see the Titan Atlas hanging onto your heart..." I scrunched my eyebrows.. Atlas? Why him? I pretended to not know anything about it.. I didn't want to ask why him, because I didn't want it to turn into a whole thing... So, I chose to ignore it.. "Does no one know Greek mythology?"

He seemed more than a little upset.. And, also managed to catch the teacher's attention.. "Mr. Moto, do you have something you would like to share with the whole class?"

"Yes, actually, Sensei-san, I'd like to know if anyone knows who the Titan Atlas is?" Hm.. He rarely used his Japanese... He'd been using it more lately though.. I wonder why..

"Idiots need to learn mythology," Yugi grumbled to me when no one spoke up.

The girls beside us started laughing and speaking loudly, making sure every word traveled across to us. "Yugi is such a nerd," Tea laughed, and I grit my teeth, my whole body going tense.

"I know, right? I mean, Yami is so much better than him! Just look at Yami! He's a god."

"A sex god would be the more accurate term for it, actually."

"Téa, you are so bad!" her friend laughed, tapping her on the arm.

I sat up, ready to give those two a piece of my mind, but Yugi grabbed my arm, leaning towards me with a smile. "Remember what we talked about. It doesn't bother me; don't let it bother you. I have you, and you have me. They don't have either of us."

He was right, but it still pissed me off... I nodded and he leaned his head on my shoulder, rubbing my arm. "Relax..." I breathed, watching him and enjoying his closeness. I relaxed slowly, my posture remaining straight even after all the tension faded away. "You're too prideful," he joked.

I held the smile in, glaring at him lightly, his smile almost made me lose it. "Shut up," I muttered, leaning my head over on his.

"You're not the boss of me" he whispered back.

"A guy can dream though, right?"

"Maybe you shouldn't dream" he laughed quietly.

"I like my dreams... And you have to admit that you like them too.." I lifted my head to see his cheeks turn a bright pink. "I told you so," I teased.

"Shut up..."

"That sounds familiar" I whispered in his ear, tilting my head to kiss his temple. He was someone very special to me... Someone that I didn't want to lose.. He snuggled his head against my arm, a smile visible on his face. He was in absolute bliss, and I was too...

The bell rang and neither of us were very willing to move from our spot. We got up and walked out of the room, holding hands as we made our way to the front doors. I turned to him once we reached the doors, stopping at the top of the stairs.

"So are you sure you can't come over?" He asked, clearly disappointed I couldn't. "Cause it won't be the same if you're not there..."

I smiled and hugged him. "I wish I could, but I have to do something..."

He smiled, though it wasn't too happy a smile, and nodded. "Fine, but you better not have fun..."

Oh if only you knew... I laughed. "I won't, aibou," I said, kissing his cheek before walking away, heading to work.

ABD

Work was a nightmare... The shift before ours had the boss so pissed off that he was threatening to fire us left and right.. My phone went off at one point, but I didn't get a chance to check it. I was back and forth, running around like a chicken with my head cut off. He had me back and forth to the freezer, to the walk in, to the storage room, back to the grill, back to back line... I was dizzy...

I sighed and slumped against the building after walking out for my break. I was already worn out, and I didn't know how much more I could handle.. I had a couple more minutes left of break, and had done nothing but sit. My phone rang in my pocket and I answered it after seeing it was Yugi. "Hello...?"

"Yami? Are you okay...?"

"Yeah, sure..." I mean.. I was okay... Annoyed, sure.. But I was fine..

"Look... About that text you got from me a couple of hours ago..." Oh yeah, I did get a text a couple hours ago... Forgot-

"Sennen! Get your ass back in here!"

"How's your afternoon been? Good, I hope?" I tried to talk over the yelling. "Mine has been absolutely boring. Did you know that people are super demanding?"

"Sennen! Do not make me tell you again!"

I sighed, so much for that.. "Sorry, Yugi, but I have to go... I'll talk to you later..." I hung up as a pan came flying out the back door.

"You're replacing that!" I yelled at him.

"I'm well aware! Get in here!"

"I'm going!"

ABD

It was almost midnight, and I had recently left work, having to stay after because my boss is an asshole.. My phone went off with the Skype ring tone, and I looked to see Yugi calling. I answered it to see him looking a little worried.. "Hey, I wasn't expecting you to call me..." I said as I walked, slowly making my way home.

"Technically, I didn't call you. I Skyped you," he corrected, laying down on his bed.

I rolled my eyes, what did it matter? "What's up?"

"What was all that yelling earlier? Before you got off?" Oh.. So he did hear that...

I shrugged. "My boss was rushing me to get back to work... I was on my break."

He tilted his head, and I resisted the urge to attempt and pinch his cheeks through the phone.. "I thought you only worked on weekends..."

I laughed, forgot that I didn't tell him about the second job... "Babe, I hate to break it to you, but I work at the pet store on weekends. The rest of the week I'm working at Maji Burger."

His smile turned to a frown. "But... when do you not work? Surely you don't work everyday..."

I shrugged "I do; don't tell anyone about it though... It's none of their damned business..."

He sighed and I could tell he didn't like the thought of me working every single day. "I won't... Anyway, I have to go. I have to get up at five..."

I smirked. "I don't..." He glared and I cracked under it. "Stop doing that."

His smile was innocent, his eyes were not.. "If you think that's dooming, then just wait... You've got even more in store.."

He hung up and I chuckled. Just what had I gotten myself into? I kept walking until I reached home. I tossed my hoodie off, walking over to my bed and collapsing. Homework could wait, I was too tired to care, and I needed some sleep before Yugi called about another nightmare... I prayed to the gods above that he wouldn't have one, but I had a feeling that that wasn't helping anything...

* * *

 **Nickey: RAAHH! I'M BACK!**

 **Yami: You're in text... Not in person... You didn't scare anyone...**

 **Kitty: Yugi, this is what we open the outro with...**

 **Yugi: Always.**

 **Nickey: Listen, Yami... You were just bitching about me being nicer to the readers...**

 **Yami: And here you are scaring them...**

 **Nickey: I'm in text... remember? * holds up middle finger * So fuck you... asswipe...**

 **Kitty: Nickey, no.**

 **Yugi: Bad Yami!**

 **Nickey: Anyway! :D In the process of getting ready to update this story, we've been planning 500 others... So we've been busy...**

 **Kitty: YAMIS A MURDERER IN ONE!**

 **Yami: Apparently... I've lost track of how many stories you two have...**

 **Yugi: Even they have...**

 **Nickey: And they'll all be posted on our joint account.. This is the only story that will be posted on one of our accounts... I'll get a link out for you guys to go to though... Pretty sure it's just Kitty PaRaDiCe though...**

 **Yami: Search that name and you should get it... I don't think you put a picture up there either though...**

 **Nickey: * shrugs * I'll get one... Anyway, we'll catch you guys and gals in the next chapter!**

 **Kitty: Peace bitches!**

 **Yugi: Bye, guys...**

 **Yami: See ya!**


	18. Chapter 17: Evil Eyes and A New Job

Nickey: Welcome to chapter 17 everyone, where Yami has just had his wisdom teeth done...

Yami: I like butterflies! and pineapples! xD

Kitty: NiNi, I want a pineapple now... Or a pear...

Yugi: After the intro.

Nickey: Yes, that's fantastic..

Yami: COOKIES! I want some cookies... Aibou.. Can I haz some cookiez?

Yugi: After the chapter, love.

Kitty: Your boyfriend is hilarious.

Yugi: He's YOUR brother. Keep that in mind.

Nickey: So, he's going to be random as hell this chapter xD

Yami: I really wanted some cookies...

Nickey: And probably kill us next chapter.. xD

Kitty: Where's the probably?

* * *

 **The Abused and the Bullied**

 **Chapter 17**

 **Evil Eyes and a New Job**

I smiled as Yami and I cuddled on my bed, grinning at each other every once in a while when I lifted my face from his chest. "Hey..." I muttered at one point when I caught him staring at me.

"Hello," he laughed, leaning down to kiss me. I smiled into the kiss as I sat up on my bed and pushed against him, pushing my hands into his hair, his hands meeting the skin of my waist as he flipped us over so he was hovering over me.

Our bodies moved against each other, his tongue made its way into my mouth, rubbing against the roof and making me moan. That seemed to be his favorite thing to do when we made out. He smirked against my lips and pulled his hands off my skin before moving to unbutton my shirt and slide it off before pushing it off my shoulders and moving to kiss that general area, forcing numerous moans to escape from their prison. My eyes closed as he placed kisses all around, head tilting back as he worked his way back up to my neck.

His movements suddenly stopped, and I felt something wet drip onto my chest. I heard a cough, more liquid hitting my chest. When I looked down, I saw two things: a knife protruding from Yami's chest and blood falling onto mine. Yami's eyes slowly went dull, blood running from his mouth. I screamed, those screams becoming louder when I saw Ushio behind Yami. They quickly became cries for my parents or sister, none of whom were home.

"Shut up, Princess," Ushio snarled, his upper lip curling upwards to reveal his teeth, black eyes screaming murder.

Yami tried to stop him from getting any closer to me, but Ushio pulled the blade from his chest, jerking Yami's chin upward and tearing the blade across his throat. More blood found it's way to the bed below. I couldn't do anything to stop it.. I couldn't save Yami...

"H-how did you figure out where I live...?" I asked him, my voice stuttering as Yami's limp body fell on top of me.

"I have my resources," Ushio answered before pushing the knife against my neck. "Say goodbye to the world, whore," he growled as he pushed it into my skin.

* * *

I shot up in bed, tears falling down my face as my body shook with sobs. "Y-Yami?" I called out, temporarily forgetting he wasn't there before I grabbed my phone off my b bedside table and tapped on his contact in my recent calls list. The phone rang numerous times, and with each ring, I grew more and more anxious to talk to him. Finally, someone picked up. "Hello? Yami? Yami, is that you? Are you alright?" I asked, not bothering to conceal the worry in my voice and the tears on my face.

"Yeah," Yami yawned. "I'm fine, babe... Why wouldn't I be...?" I let out a breath of relief before asking if he could come over right then. "'Course I can... What's going on...?" he asked.

I shook my head, even if he couldn't see it. "Don't... Wait till you get here... Just hurry... I don't wanna be alone..." I said.

"Alright, I'm on my way," Yami said before I heard shuffling around. "How are you wanting me to get in? I can't very well ring the doorbell."

I sighed before looking out my window to see a tree branch. "Can you climb trees?" When he answered with a yes, I smiled a little. "There's a tree in the yard with a branch that stops right outside my window. I'll open the window when you get here," I said.

About thirty minutes later, Yami was sitting at the window, waiting for me to open it. As soon as I did, he climbed in and hugged me, my assumption being that he saw the tear lines on my face. "What happened, aibou...?" he asked me.

I wrapped my arms around him and hid my face in his chest, taking in his scent - he smelled like burgers, which happened to be my favorite food - and feeling his beating heart. He was alive; he was unharmed. I smiled a little and sighed as I began to relax. "Yugi..." Yami began to question.

"Hm...?" I looked up at him.

He chuckled. "What's wrong? Why'd you call me sobbing?" he asked.

I sighed before pulling him over onto my bed and laying my head on his chest after I made him lay down. He really needed to get used to not being so formal when he was at my house; eventually, my mom would start to feel insulted by it. I mean, was it such an awful and disrespectful thing to lay on a king sized bed in the middle of the night at your boyfriend's house when said boyfriend was pushing you... I stopped my thoughts, hiding a blush in Yami's chest when I realized how sexual that sounded in my mind.

"I had another nightmare... This one was the worst of them all since I woke up crying from fear and worry," I started. Yami started to listen intently. "You and I were making out on my bed, and you had started unbuttoning my shirt -"

Yami interrupted me with a chuckle. "That doesn't sound very nightmarish to me. I'd love to have a 'nightmare' like that," he said.

I glared half heartedly at him before continuing. "It wasn't a nightmare at first. It was actually quite pleasurable. And then you were stabbed in the back by Ushio," I told him. "And he tried to kill me. I woke up before he could actually do it."

Yami stared at me before pulling me further into his side and kissing the top of my head. "Yugi, Ushio can't hurt me. The most he'll ever get in is a punch or two, and I can handle a few punches. And I wouldn't die from a stab wound. I've survived a lot worse," he said, holding me against him.

I smiled. "Thank you for coming, Yami," I told him. "I... needed to see that you were safe... And I could've Skyped you, but it wouldn't have been the same as seeing in person that you're unharmed. I'd still be having a panic attack, and Amaterasu wouldn't even be able to calm me down until I knew you were safe..."

He smiled. "Not a problem. I need to be getting back home though," he said.

I shook my head. "No, you're staying here, Yami... I don't want you to walk alone in the dark anymore," I said. "Please just... spend the night?"

He sighed. "Fine, but where would I sleep?" he asked.

I lifted my head up and looked at him, shocked. "In here... On this bed... With me..." I said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world - which it was to me.

He looked at me, shocked. "I dunno, Yugi..." he said. "I really shouldn't... I don't need to be taking up space on your bed..."

I rolled my eyes and sat up so that I was looking into his eyes and glared. "You. Are sleeping. In this bed. It's king sized, and I don't need to be alone in it if you're spending the night. Besides, we have the guest room set up for my grandpa when he gets here. It wouldn't be suitable for you for a couple of reasons: that bed is lumpy as hell. I don't know how he likes it, but it is. And half of Amaterasu's weapons are in there. She won't hesitate to grab one and charge you with it. She follows the rule of 'Shoot/Stab now, ask later'."

Yami hesitantly agreed before laying down and pulling the amethyst and black striped blanket over him.

* * *

I woke up Saturday morning alone, hugging a pillow, and blinked, exhausted. "Yami?" I called out quietly, seeing my bathroom door closed. He didn't answer, and I opened the door, wondering who had closed it.

I pulled my phone out and called him, pouting when he picked up. "You left me," I whined.

Yami chuckled. "Lose the pout," he said.

I blushed. "I-I'm not pouting!" I exclaimed. "What makes you think that?"

He chuckled. "I know you, Yugi. You're pouting, so stop. I had to go to work. I'll shower when I finish, and we can go to lunch or something, okay? And don't forget to lock that window back," he said.

I frowned. "How long is your lunch break...?" I asked. "I can meet you there around 12 if you want...? My mom and I are going out for breakfast together."

"I get half an hour," Yami answered. "We could probably head to the McDonald's down the street. It's not anything fancy, but it's nearby and I wouldn't be late..." he suggested.

I nodded. "That works. You need to go, though. I don't want you to get in trouble," I said.

Yami laughed. "Alright. I'll see you at lunch, aibou," he said before hanging up.

I smiled and went to my closet, tilting my head to the side as I tried to find my leather jacket. Finding it, I pulled it out before running to my dresser and getting a white tee shirt and jeans. I put those on and grabbed my black tennis shoes before running to the staircase and sliding down, landing flat on my feet. "Ready when you guys are!" I called to my mom and sister as I leaned against the door.

My sister came down the stairs wearing a pair of black leggings with a mid-thigh length, light blue shirt and a pair of brown boots with her black, faux leather purse. Her brown hair was pulled up into a high ponytail.

My mom came after her wearing a knee length red dress with silver linings across the top and bottom, white wedges that matched her white, leather purse, and a heart shaped locket around her neck that had a picture of me when I was three and Amaterasu when she was five.

"We're ready, Yu-chan," mom teased, causing me to blush.

"Mom~, I'm not a girl," I complained as I walked to the front door. "Dibs on shotgun!" I called as I ran out to my mom's black Mercedes.

"Hey! Not fair!" Amaterasu shouted as she chased after me, her boots tapping on the floor. I slammed the car door right before she came in, grinning as she had to sit in the backseat.

"Haha! I got it~!" I bragged as she climbed in, my mom climbing into the driver's seat. Amaterasu stuck her tongue out as I turned to mom. "When will I get to drive? We got me my license, but y'all never let me drive," I complained

Mom smiled at me as she started to drive. "When you buy yourself a car," she answered.

I groaned. "How am I supposed to do that? You won't give me an allowance!" I complained.

"Get a job~!" Amaterasu sang in my ear as mom turned into an IHOP.

"Oh haha," I replied. "Where am I supposed to get a job?"

Amaterasu shrugged. "I dunno. I already have one, so it's up to you," she said.

"Meh," I said, sticking my tongue out.

"What about the pet store with Yami? He's sweet, and I'm sure he'd be willing to work with you," she said.

I sighed. "I'll ask him at lunch today," I told her as we went inside.

* * *

"Hey, Yami," I said as I went into the back of the pet store around 11:30. He glanced over his shoulder at me and greeted me with a smile before going back to work. "What are you doing?" I asked.

He smiled. "Moving all the birds in here. I'm almost done," he answered as he put the brush down.

"Oh..." I replied, blushing. Amaterasu wanted me to ask him about getting a job there... I wasn't sure if I could... "So... my sister and mom want me to get a job..." I said.

"Oh, really?" Yami asked. "That's cool. Shows responsibility and crap like that. I work because I have to. Pays the rent," he said.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Your parents make you pay rent...?" I asked.

He stiffened slightly for a second before forcing himself to relax. "Yeah," he replied. "They do. I don't do chores around the house, so I pay them back by working and not asking for money from them. It's kinda like paying rent, I guess," he explained.

I sighed and nodded, not letting the smile leave my face in case he looked at me. He wasn't lying, but he wasn't being completely honest with me. Why did that bug me...? I had never been bothered by earning other people's trust before, but Yami obviously didn't trust me completely, which bugged me. "I guess," I said, keeping my voice cheerful and being grateful that he hadn't looked back at me while I had been thinking. "So when do you get off for lunch?" I asked

He turned to me and smiled. "Whenever I finish this bird," he answered. "It should just be a few minutes." I nodded, and we talked until he finished. He pressed his lips against mine and muttered against them. "I should've done this earlier."

I blushed as he pulled away. "Do you know anywhere that's hiring?" I asked him.

He nodded. "I might know a couple places," he answered. "Just depends on the hours you're willing to work..."

I shrugged. "I don't know... It's not like I have plans or anything," I said.

He smiled before calling someone. "Carla!" he shouted, scaring a couple people in the store. "Sorry," he said, running his hand through his hair.

"Don't do that!" I shouted, pulling his hand away from his hair. When he looked at me questioningly, I shrugged. "You might make it all frizzy," I explained.

He rolled his eyes. "Really?" he asked. I nodded. "You are such a girl sometimes," he teased.

I glared lightly at him. "I am not a girl!" I exclaimed in mock offense. "I actually do not spend hours on my hair."

Yami laughed. "Uh-huh," he said. "Then how does it stick up like that? Gelling it up like that takes forever."

I smiled. "It's natural. Drag a comb through my hair after a shower, and it isn't frizzy. Drag one through it when I wake up in the morning, and it isn't tangled," I said.

Yami laughed as a woman in her mid- to late 30s walked up to us. "Yes, Yami?" she asked, causing Yami to jump the same way he had that one time when Joey had scared him in the gym. Her hair was a blue-green color that matched the shirt she was wearing with blue jeans and white tennis shoes. "Who is this? He's a very handsome kid," she said.

I smiled. "My name is Yugi Akihiko Moto," I said, holding out my hand for her to shake after a slight bow. "It's nice to meet you," I added as she shook my hand.

Carla smiled. "Well, my name is Carla Montague," she said. "It's nice to meet you, too," she added before turning to Yami. "What did you need?"

Yami smiled. "Yugi was wondering if there was anyway he could work here," he replied.

Carla nodded. "'Course you can, hon'," she said. "There could never be too many helping hands. When are you wanting to work?"

I blushed at the attention, not liking having to make decisions and tell them to strangers. "He'll work weekends from lunch to close, if that's alright with you," Yami answered for me.

She smiled. "That works," she said. "Are you wanting to start tomorrow or maybe today?"

I shrugged. "Today will be fine, ma'am," I told her. "Is there anything I need to wear in particular, though?" I asked.

"No, there isn't. And please, call me Carla," she said. "Just make sure that if you wear a collared shirt, the collar is flat."

I nodded as Yami spoke. "Thank you, Carla," he said before she walked away. He turned to me. "Now, where do you want to go?"

I laughed. "Well, I thought we were going to go to that McDonald's," I replied. "But if you changed your mind, we can go somewhere else."

Yami shrugged. "Whatever works best for you," he said.

I smiled before dragging him out of the store. "McDonald's it is!" I exclaimed as I ran to the fast food place. We ordered - I got a chicken sandwich with a large Dr. Pepper (the second drink of the gods, with the first being root beer) a medium fry and he got a double hamburger with a medium fry and a sweet tea - and sat down at a random booth.

My phone dinged as we sat down and I groaned at seeing who it was. Where are you? Malik demanded. "Do these people not know to leave me alone and that I'm busy?" I asked.

Yami laughed. "Who is it?" he asked.

I smiled. "Malik wants to know where I am," I told him before sending the vaguest possible answer: On Earth.

"What did you tell him?" Yami asked. I smiled and showed him the text.

"Why does my name show up so many times above that one...?" he asked.

I blushed, having forgotten about those ones. "Um... Malik was demanding to know if I was with you earlier. He didn't believe I was out with my mom and sister," I answered.

Yami nodded as my phone and his buzzed at the same time. Oh haha, Yugi. Where on Earth are you?

In North America, I replied before turning my phone on vibrate.

Yami looked up from his and smiled at me. "Malik again?" he asked. I nodded as they called out receipt number. "I got it," he said, getting up. I smiled as my phone buzzed with a text from my mom. Bring Yami over for dinner.

K, I replied, smiling as Yami came back. "Mom says you need to come over for dinner," I told him.

"Alright," he said. "I suppose I can come over. I'm gonna be walking that way to bring you back anyway."

"And you're also spending the night," I told him. "Don't even think about arguing. And you're waking me up before you leave so I'm not panicking."

Yami smiled. "Fine, but I'll have to go get some clothes from -"

"Nope," I replied. "No, you won't. I have some clothes that are a little too big for me in my closet. You can wear those," I told him. "No excuses. You can fit in something in there."

Yami rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright, I give," he said, and we both laughed as we ate.

* * *

"Yugi, whose jacket is this?"

I looked up from the book I was reading on my bed, and my mind went blank at the black, leather jacket that was three sizes too big for me. Images of blue eyes and blonde hair staring into mine flew through my mind. Images of those same eyes glaring at me and the pain that I felt from their owner hitting me followed. "It's... It's no one's... Not anymore, at least," I replied.

"Yugi, what's wrong?" Yami asked.

I shook my head and looked at him through my blonde bangs. "Yami, you can ask me anything you want, and I'll answer. I just ask that you don't ask about that jacket. I'm not ready to talk about the person that jacket belongs to yet..." I told him.

Yami nodded and walked to sit on the bed. "Alright," he said. "Are you okay though...?"

I nodded. "That person is in my past," I told him, "but he still shows up sometimes in my worst nightmares. When I'm ready to talk about it, you'll be the first to hear the story."

Yami nodded. "Alright," he said before we were called to dinner. We went to the dining hall and sat in the same seats we had every other time he came over.

I decided to finally ask the question that had been bugging me since he first came over. "Why are you so formal around us?" I asked Yami.

"Yeah, and why is your posture so straight? I swear, it couldn't get any straighter if I shoved a stick in your pants," Amaterasu added.

Yami chuckled. "Back in Egypt, it was disrespectful to the pharaoh to walk with bad posture unless you were elderly or had a medical condition that prevented you from standing straight. It's the same reason I always stop walking with my left foot forward," he said. I nodded, supposing it made sense. "My father also considers that disrespectful to him, which is something he despises." He paused for a minute before speaking again, his voice slightly deeper. "Don't do this. Don't do that. No elbows on the table. Keep your knees bent. Chew quietly. Posture straight. Don't look around," he said. Everyone at the table laughed, including Yami.

When the laughter stopped, Yami was still smiling, although it wasn't a natural one. It was forced. No one else seemed to notice, but when he looked at me, his eyes seemed tired. It was time to welcome Atlas back into our lives! "Hey, since we're finished, Yami and I are gonna go up to my room," I told my family. I didn't wait for an answer before I grabbed Yami's hand and dragged him upstairs.

"Why'd you do that?" he asked.

"I'm not going to ask about your parents, if that's what you're thinking. I just... Needed to get away for a bit. And I need you to help me hide that jacket before Amaterasu comes up here to check on me," I said.

"Why would she need to check on you...?" Yami asked.

"The only times I ever left dinner early were when the owner of that jacket was here. If she sees that jacket, she'll think I've gone back to thinking I did something wrong..." I explained.

"Why would you think you did something wrong...?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I'll explain at a later date," I said. "Help me out. I don't know where you found it. Amaterasu was the one who hid it in my closet."

Yami hung the jacket back up before hugging me. "I'm here when you're ready to talk about it," he said into my hair.

I smiled as I kissed him lightly. "I know, and I'm happy about that," I told him. "I'm gonna get ready for bed. My grandpa is gonna be here tomorrow." I went into my bathroom after grabbing my favorite pair of pajamas and changed.

I smiled at Yami when I came out to see him standing awkwardly in the middle of my room. "Yami, you know my mom will end up feeling insulted if you stay so formal while you're here, right?" I asked, causing him to jump a little. Whoops. I thought he'd seen me leave the bathroom. "If you want to sit somewhere -" I pushed him onto my bed "- then sit." I went over to my dresser to grab a pair of pajamas that were a little too big for me. "If you want to rummage through my drawers to see what type of clothes I wear outside of school or find something for you to sleep in -" I threw the pajamas at him "- then do it. And if you want to change in my bathroom, do that, too," I said, pushing him in the direction of my bathroom.

He went into the room I pushed him towards and came out a couple of minutes later. I kissed him when he came out, but he wouldn't let me pull away. My hands found their way into his hair and his onto the skin of my waist. And that's how my sister found us when she came to check on me.

* * *

"Tamais, please... Stop it," I begged. My arms were being handcuffed behind my back by the blonde haired male. "Oh, poor. Little. Yugi. Do you want me to stop?" he asked. I nodded, and he slapped me. "Get over it," he said, "because you don't get to tell me what to do."

"S-sorry..." I stuttered. I felt metal being pressed against my neck as his arm wrapped around me.

"I've sent your mother to the hospital already. She wasn't a very light sleeper," he said. "And once you're in there, I will send your precious sister after you," he added. "Believe me; she won't survive very long without you. I'd be putting her out of her misery once you're gone." He pulled the knife away slightly, the tip barely touching my skin as he trailed it down until it was just above my heart. "And that poor senior is going to kill herself off once you're gone, anyway. Why should I let her do that? I'll do it myself." The knife went down to my stomach, and he cut into me. I felt the blood as it fell from the wound. "Bye bye, Aki," he said. The nickname that had once made me feel so special made me shiver.

* * *

"Yugi!" Amaterasu's voice called, pulling me out of my nightmare. "Yugi, wake up!" I shot up in bed, letting out a sort of scream that sounded like it was mixed with a growl.

"I'm up... I'm up..." I told her. "It was... just a dream..." I said before I saw her, Yami, and Grandpa Solomon standing at the end of my bed. "Grandpa!" I exclaimed, latching onto him. "I missed you!"

Grandpa chuckled. "And I missed you too, Yugi," he said. "Now, would you mind telling me who this handsome young lad is and why he was sleeping in your bed with you?" he asked. "Have you been having sex and not telling me?"

My cheeks went red and I stuttered before moving to hide my face in Yami's chest. "NO!" I shouted. "Grandpa is a pervert," I muttered into Yami's chest, only half expecting him to have heard me.

"Hi, I'm Solomon Moto, but you can call me Grandpa. Everyone else does."

I felt Yami shift a little, assuming he took the hand Grandpa probably held out. "Yami Sennen. Nice to meet you," he said.

I heard Grandpa laugh. "So formal!" he exclaimed. "What a shocker! No, believe me; after a while, you'll wish you'd never met me, especially if Amaterasu is telling the truth and you and Yugi are together."

I groaned. "Grandpa! Don't embarrass Yami!" I shouted.

They all laughed, and I sighed before looking into their worried eyes. "I wanna tell Yami about Tamais..." I muttered, knowing Amaterasu would hear me.

"Why?" she asked. "You've only known him for a month."

I looked at her. "Yes, I am well aware of how long I've known him for," I said. "But I also trust him not to do the things Tamais did. I want him to understand why there are some things he might say or do that might scare me."

Amaterasu nodded. "Alright, go ahead," she said before glaring at Yami. "And if you hear about these things and laugh, so help. You. God. I will not hesitate to murder you."

Yami threw his hands up. "I won't," he said.

I sighed. "'Easy, enough," I told her before pulling Yami so that he was sitting on my bed. "First thing I need to tell you: never call me Aki. It's a nickname the owner of that jacket gave me that once pulled me into comfort and now scares me," I said.

Yami nodded. "Understood," he said.

I nodded. "Tamais Hanson," I told him, "was the owner of that jacket you found. He's also my previous and first boyfriend. At first, he was sweet and kind and everything I could have wanted. We were together all through sophomore year. He and I were the couple everyone wanted to be. They saw us, and they thought we were perfect. Even I thought Tamais was perfect for me for three months of our relationship." Yami nodded, which showed me that he was listening. "Three months in, Tamais changed. He became more violent, seemed like he wanted to hit me more often.

"A week after these changes started happening, I tried to break up with him. He hit me because of it and told me that he wouldn't let me. When I tried to leave, he grabbed my arm and twisted it as far as he could..." I took a breath and smiled as I felt Yami's hand on me.

"Things went on like that for about nine more months. Eight months after the abuse started, I told these two about it -" I pointed at Amaterasu and Grandpa "- and they wanted to call the cops, but I wouldn't let them because I was scared. Looking back on it, I wish I had.

"On our one year anniversary, he tried to kill me. My mom was already in the hospital, and he said that once I was there, he would go after my sister." I lifted my shirt up to show a scar on my stomach. "If it hadn't been for my cousin, Alli, coming to the apartment to get me and busting down the door when she heard the shouting, I would have died that day. Tamais used a knife, and he left that scar there." I traced it without looking.

"When we took him to court, he was proven innocent on lack of evidence. He tried to get back with me until we moved here."

I felt something wet drip onto my pants and moved my hand up to my cheek, shocked to find that I had been crying. "There are some things you might do or say that Tamais did as well. I might flinch away from you once in a while, but I don't want you to take it personally. It won't be because of you," I said.

I felt Yami's arms wrap around me and leaned into him as we fell back onto my bed. I looked at my phone and saw that it was three a.m. and went to sleep, cuddled into Yami with my bathroom light on. I was happy I had told Yami about it because he was less likely to take offense to my responses to his actions...

* * *

Kitty: We did the intro weeks ago... Sorry for the wait. I haven't been on the site in... like... Forever. So yeah. Sorry.

Nickey: KITTY! SHADDUP!

Yugi: And she's been watching more television for some reason.

Kitty: I don't even know but I watched 10 Things I Hate About You...

Nickey: WHICH she's watched BEFORE!

Yami: You're just mad because she ignored you over the movie...

Nickey: M TOOK HER PHONE YOU BAFOON! *tackles Yami*

Kitty: And this last week has been stressful. Anyway, BYE! Wedding is now on my birthday, apparently...

Nickey: Yes... Yes it is :D *wiggles brows* and you know whyy~

Yami: *facepalms* PLEASE. For the love of Ra! Do. Not. Repeat. No more scarring the readers...

Nickey: Not for a while anyway xD Bye guys! :D

Yami: *waves*

Yugi: BYE BYE!


	19. Chapter 18: N is for Night, T is for

Nickey: WHAT'S UP LADIES AND BITCHES! [Thank you AnimeCorazon, I will continue my greetings :D]  
[And I'm glad you're all enjoying the story, your reviews are amazing :D]

Yami: *Sigh*... Caffeine is terrible for her...

Nickey: Shut up, Yami. ANYWAY! I know we've been gone for a super huge, incredibly long time...

Kitty: Long long time. Sorry!

Nickey: BUT! For good reason.. We're up to chapter 43 in this story and decided to take a bit of a break...

Yami: More like YOU just lost your motivation...

Nickey: I.. Will punch you...

Kitty: I'll watch!

Yugi: I'll watch!

Nickey: Anywho~ We took a bit of a break, Kitty lost her email and made a new, and we have planned [INCLUDING TAATB] two HUNDRED and... Twelve? I think... Maybe...

Yami: So you don't remember...

Nickey: IT WAS TWO HUNDRED SOMETHING, YAMI! FACK OFF! Anyway! It's a lot... And we've been non stop planning, and planning three others that aren't on that list right now... xD So please forgive us for our long absence.. It WILL pay off in the end.. :D

Kitty: Next one is a murder mystery! I wuvs it!

Yami: Basically these two have got their hands full..

Nickey: That's right~ But, we've done it all for all of you guys :D Updates are still pretty sparatical, and will continue to be so until I get caught up on my 1,100 messages in my inbox xD Anyway, that's enough chat from us.. Enjoy the chapter~

Yami: And we'll catch ya in the outro

Kitty and Yugi: Back in a bit~

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

 **Chapter 18**

 **N is for Night, T is for Terror**

I was sleeping peacefully, a dreamless, peaceful sleep... Until a shrill ringing started going off. I turned over, refusing to open my eyes. I just wanted to sleep. The ringing continued and I couldn't sleep with it going off. I picked up my phone, my eyes peeking open. "Hello? Yami? Yami, is that you? Are you alright?" Yugi sounded frantic, but I was still a little groggy from just waking up.

"Yeah," I cursed myself as a yawn slipped out, in an attempt to wake myself up. "I'm fine, babe... Why wouldn't I be...?"

"Can you come over?"

"Whe-"

"Now.." he clarified.

"Course I can... What's going on...?" I sat up, what was going on? Why was he crying so much?

"Don't... Wait till you get here... Just hurry... I don't wanna be alone..."

"Alright, I'm on my way." I got up and started changing, keeping the phone to my ear with my shoulder. "How are you wanting me to get in? I can't very well ring the doorbell."

He sighed, thinking of a way for me to get in. "Can you climb trees?"

Were there people that couldn't? "Yeah.."

"There's a tree in the yard with a branch that stops right outside my window. I'll open the window when you get here."

"Alright.." I quickly got dressed, making my way to his house. I ran for the most part, slowing down once I got close. I looked around to make sure no one saw me, the last thing we needed was someone calling the cops because they thought I was a thief... I made my way up the tree, carefully crossing the branch over to Yugi's room. He opened the window and I hopped in, closing the window behind me.

He had tear stains down his face, but why? I wrapped my arms around him, trying to calm him down. "What happened, aibou...?"

His arms went around me, he inhaled, apparently enjoying the smell of Maji Burger.. He pressed his head into my shoulder, seeming to calm down as he listened to my heart. "Yugi..."

"Hm..?"

He looked up at me, and the look on his face made me chuckle. "What's wrong? Why'd you call me sobbing?"

He sighed and pulled me over to his bed. At first I sat down, but he pushed me back, making me lay down. He laid beside me, his head on my chest. He blushed and hid his face in my chest, while I lay still. "I had another nightmare... This one was the worst of them all since I woke up crying from fear and worry... You and I were making out on my bed, and you started unbuttoning my shirt -"

I chuckled, I couldn't help it. "That doesn't sound very nightmarish to me. I'd love to have a 'nightmare' like that."

He attempted a glare, but I could see the laughter it hid. "It wasn't a nightmare at first. It was actually quite pleasurable. And then you were stabbed in the back by Ushio... And he tried to kill me. I woke up before he could actually do it."

I looked at him, he'd had a nightmare every day this week, but that one was definitely the worst he'd had. I pulled him further into me, kissing the top of his head. "Yugi, Ushio can't hurt me. The most he'll ever get in is a punch or two, and I can handle a few punches. And I wouldn't die from a stab wound. I've survived a lot worse."

He smiled, seeming to be calmer now that he knew I was alright. "Thank you for coming, Yami.. I... needed to see that you were safe... And I could've Skyped you, but it wouldn't have been the same as seeing in person that you're unharmed. I'd still be having a panic attack, and Amaterasu wouldn't even be able to calm me down until I knew you were safe..."

I smiled, I felt better now that he was okay. But, I needed to get home, I had to work in the morning.. "Not a problem. I need to be getting back home though..."

He shook his head, and I was wondering why, he seemed okay.. "No, you're staying here, Yami... I don't want you to walk alone in the dark anymore... Please just... spend the night?"

I sighed, I was honestly too tired to argue. "Fine, but where would I sleep?"

He lifted his head and gave me a look that said he was shocked I'd even asked. Like the very question insulted him.. "In here... On this bed... With me..."

What..? Wait... What? Why would he want me taking space up on his bed? I'd been pushed out of bed because my parents didn't want to share, and my older brother didn't want me in his bed... I mean, I could sleep on the floor... "I dunno, Yugi... I really shouldn't... I don't need to be taking up space on your bed..."

He rolled his eyes and sat up, glaring at me. "You. Are sleeping. In this bed. It's king sized, and I don't need to be alone in it if you're spending the night. Besides, we have the guest room set up for my grandpa when he gets here. It wouldn't be suitable for you for a couple of reasons: that bed is lumpy as hell. I don't know how he likes it, but it is. And half of Amaterasu's weapons are in there. She won't hesitate to grab one and charge you with it. She follows the rule of 'Shoot/Stab now, ask later'."

Well... Okay then... "Alright" I sighed again. Really wanting some sort of sleep before I had to work. I laid down with Yugi next me, pulling the blanket over us. He fell asleep pretty quickly, I watched him for a minute, making sure he was really okay before pressing a kiss to his forehead and falling asleep myself.

ABD

I quickly reached up and shut off my alarm, careful not to wake Yugi up. He wouldn't let me go so I grabbed a nearby pillow, pushing it between me and him. He pulled the pillow closer as I slid out from his grasp. I opened the window and slipped out, closing it before working my way down the tree. I walked towards work, knowing I would need to go home and get a shower at some point today..

I was stocking shelves when my phone rang. I lifted my phone, seeing it was Yugi before answering. "You left me" he whined.

I chuckled, hearing the pout in his voice. "Lose the pout."

"I-I'm not pouting! What makes you think that?"

"I know you, Yugi. You're pouting, so stop," I chuckled at his feigned innocence. "I had to go to work. I'll shower when I finish, and we can go to lunch or something, okay? And don't forget to lock that window back."

"How long is your lunch break...? I can meet you there around 12 if you want...? My mom and I are going out for breakfast together."

"I get half an hour. We could probably head to the McDonald's down the street. It's not anything fancy, but it's nearby and I wouldn't be late..." I suggested, lifting another bag of food and putting it on the shelf. I started walking back towards the back to grab more of the inventory.

"That works. You need to go, though. I don't want you to get in trouble."

"Alright. I'll see you at lunch, aibou." I hung up and went back to work. I had to finish stacking shelves and get to work finishing what little was left of the aviary.

11:30 rolled around and I was adding a little bit to the painting I'd finished a while ago. The wall was complete, but it could use another bird to it. A flock of purple, blue, black, white, and yellow birds of all breeds went across the wall. I'd wondered what had inspired that from my subconsciousness.. Oh well..

"Hey, Yami." I looked over to see Yugi, smiling before going back to work. "What are you doing?"

"Moving all the birds in here. I'm almost done." I put the brush down, grabbing more of the yellow paint.

"Oh..." He paused for a while, taking his time to talk. "So... my sister and mom want me to get a job..."

"Oh, really? That's cool. Shows responsibility and crap like that. I work because I have to. Pays the rent."

"Your parents make you pay rent...?"

I stiffened, forgetting for a second he was right behind me, before forcing myself to relax. "Yeah.. They do. I don't do chores around the house, so I pay them back by working and not asking for money from them. It's kinda like paying rent, I guess."

He sighed and I found myself praying to the gods above that he would believe that. I really didn't wanna get into all that crap right now.. "I guess," he sounded cheerful, I refused to look though, in case he saw the lie on my face. "So when do you get off for lunch?"

I turned to him and smiled, seeing a smile on his face, but feeling like it was faked. "Whenever I finish this bird. It should just be a few minutes."

I finished and cleaned off my brushes, turning back to Yugi and pressing our lips together. Kissing him proved to be my favorite thing. "I should've done this earlier," I muttered against his lips.

I pulled away and watched the pink go across his cheeks. "Do you know anywhere that's hiring?"

I nodded, indeed I did. "I might know a couple places. Just depends on the hours you're willing to work..."

He shrugged. "I don't know... It's not like I have plans or anything."

I smiled, walking to the aviary door and yelling. "Carla!" A few people jumped and I was suddenly feeling very sheepish. "Sorry," I apologized, running a hand through my hair.

"Don't do that!" Yugi shouted, pulling my hand away from my hair. I raised a brow and looked at him, he shrugged in response. "You might make it all frizzy.."

I rolled my eyes, my shoulders dropping. "Really?" I asked, and he nodded. "You are such a girl sometimes," I teased.

"I am not a girl!" He yelled, an attempted glare on his face. "I actually do not spend hours on my hair."

"Uh-huh.. Then how does it stick up like that? Gelling it up like that takes forever."

"It's natural," he said, a smile going to his face. "Drag a comb through my hair after a shower, and it isn't frizzy. Drag one through it when I wake up in the morning, and it isn't tangled."

I laughed. "Yes, Yami?" I jumped slightly, turning to see Carla. "Who is this? He's a very handsome kid."

"My name is Yugi Akihiko Moto," Yugi answered, a smile on his face as he shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Well, my name is Carla Montague, it's nice to meet you, too." She turned towards me "What did you need?"

I smiled, I enjoyed having Carla as my boss, she was a sweet woman. "Yugi was wondering if there was anyway he could work here."

"'Course you can, hon'. There could never be too many helping hands. When are you wanting to work?"

Yugi blushed, and I figured it was time for me to step in and save my poor boyfriend from all the attention. "He'll work weekends from lunch to close, if that's alright with you," I said, pulling the attention from him.

She smiled. "That works. Are you wanting to start tomorrow or maybe today?"

He shrugged and seemed to be okay this time. "Today will be fine, ma'am. Is there anything I need to wear in particular, though?"

"No, there isn't. And please, call me Carla. Just make sure that if you wear a collared shirt, the collar is flat."

He nodded. "Thank you, Carla," I said before she turned and walked away, heading to her office to add Yugi in to the schedule. "Now, where do you want to go?"

"Well, I thought we were going to that McDonald's," he laughed. "But if you changed your mind, we can go somewhere else."

I shrugged, it honestly didn't matter. I didn't normally eat lunch anyway unless I worked at Maji Burger. "Whatever works best for you..."

He grabbed my forearm and dragged me out the door. "McDonald's it is!"

ABD

We got to McDonald's and sat down after ordering. Yugi's phone went off and he didn't seem too thrilled as he let out a groan. "Do these people not know to leave me alone and that I'm busy?"

I laughed at the face he made. "Who is it?"

"Malik wants to know where I am," he said, a smile going across his face.

"What did you tell him?"

He flipped his phone around and as I read the message, I noticed my name above it quite a few times. "Why does my name show up so many times above that one...?"

He blushed and I couldn't help the smile. "Um... Malik was demanding to know if I was with you earlier. He didn't believe I was out with my mom and sister."

I nodded as our phones went off at the same time. I looked down as he did, reading the message on my screen. You need to talk to your parents...

Fucking, Marik... He wasn't going to let it go..

I put my phone back in my pocket without a reply, looking back to Yugi. "Malik again?" He nodded as they called for our order. "I got it."

I came back to see Yugi looking back up from his phone with a smile. "Mom says you need to come over for dinner."

"Alright. I suppose I can come over. I'm gonna be walking that way to bring you back anyway."

"And you're also spending the night. Don't even think about arguing. And you're waking me up before you leave so I'm not panicking."

"Fine, but I'll have to go get some clothes from -"

"Nope. No, you won't. I have some clothes that are a little too big for me in my closet. You can wear those. No excuses. You can fit in something in there."

Great. Looked like I was getting up super early to be able to run back to my apartment, shower, get dressed, and be able to walk to work on time... Yugi was super stubborn.. And a very 'my way or no way' type of person... I rolled my eyes "Alright, alright, I give." Just meant one more hour I'd be missing on sleep.. Nothing that I hadn't suffered from this week.. We continued talking and laughing until we were done, heading back to the pet store.

"Hey Liz."

"Hey Yami. Want me to clock you both in?"

"If you could please," I said, walking to the end of the counter and swapping my keys with the store keys once again.

"Yugi, right?"

"That's right. Do you have that check list, Liz?"

"I do," she was in a good mood today. All smiles, and happy times as she spun around, grabbing the clipboard from the wall.

"You're scarily happy today," I commented, watching her eyes sparkle.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"For you, yes.. I'm wondering who you killed," I teased.

"I'll never tell," she chuckled, crinkling her nose.

"Just lemme know if it was someone I knew so I can go to the funeral," I chuckled, walking away with Yugi.

"Will do!"

I led Yugi around the store, showing him where things went, how things worked, and what he would need to do when assisting a customer. I stayed with him the first hour like I do in school, following along behind him and making sure he would be okay. He did great, and caught on really fast. It didn't take him long at all, and he was always smiling as he moved. The customers adored him and the other workers seemed to enjoy his company as well. He didn't notice when I walked away, and from what I observed, he didn't seem to mind. He was doing just fine.

I went back to work, setting up the bird cages so they could be moved. Duke and I worked together, making sure the cage floors were secured to the wall. Three rows went up like shelves, the inner walls creating a total of ten cages on the wall. The fronts of them went in, so the only access to them was from the back wall that lead to a room for employees only. This was to prevent customer's children from reaching in and getting a chunk taken from their fingers. It would also prevent them from scaring and stressing out the birds. We went to the back, setting in the doors and putting in the litter for the birds. We set up perches, swings, food bowls, water bowls, and all other things that the birds would need.

Two other cages were rolled in, one wire, the other a cube with clear plastic sides. The cube was mostly used for parakeets, but we'd put a wire cage on top of it, so they could no longer go flying around wherever they want and get into mischief. We brought out the box with the parakeets, lifting the cage lid to let them go into the cube on their own. The cube was set up like a playground for children, a large perch going all the way across the middle, a big water bowl, a large round food bowl, and lots of toys scattered here and there for them to play with. I pulled out the box once they were all out, closing the lid and locking it.

"One cage down.." I sighed.

"Twelve to go," Duke groaned.

"Eleven," I corrected with a chuckle.

"Right.."

We walked out to get the rest of the birds, setting them up in the aviary, and stopping to admire our work once it was done. "Well, that's it.. Until the Macaw gets here anyway..."

"Next Tuesday?"

"Next Tuesday," I confirmed.

ABD

After work, I walked Yugi home, being dragged inside with him and up to his room. We sat and talked for a while while I went around through his closet he'd pointed me towards. I found a jacket that was clearly too big for him, but when I asked him about it, he didn't seem too adamant to talk about it. I didn't push him though, it wasn't my business, and I didn't have any room to try to persuade him. I certainly wasn't coming off my stories any time soon. Of course, I just didn't want to be pitied, I hated when people pitied me.

I just wanted to make sure he was okay. He nodded to assure me he was, but I felt like he wasn't completely alright.. I didn't push though, I let it go. We were called down for dinner after that though, so we got up and went down to the dining hall to sit down.

Yugi looked over to me, and a million questions seemed to race through his mind. "Why are you so formal around us?"

"Yeah, and why is your posture so straight? I swear, it couldn't get any straighter if I shoved a stick in your pants," his sister added.

I chuckled at the thought of it. "Back in Egypt, it was disrespectful to the pharaoh to walk with bad posture unless you were elderly or had a medical condition that prevented you from standing straight. It's the same reason I always stop walking with my left foot forward. My father also considers that disrespectful to him, which is something he despises." I paused, trying to try my best voice impersonation of my father. "Don't do this. Don't do that. No elbows on the table. Keep your knees bent. Chew quietly. Posture straight. Don't look around," I said, causing everyone at the table to laugh.

I started to think as the laughter died down, the smile remaining on my face. Father used to only order us around.. He used to be tolerable. I hadn't seen him for almost a year now.. A small part of my mind wondered if he'd changed at all. I wondered if mother was okay..

I looked over at Yugi, who'd been looking at me for a while. "Hey, since we're finished, Yami and I are gonna go up to my room," he didn't wait for a response, he just grabbed my hand, dragged me away and up the stairs.

"Why'd you do that?" I asked. Did he read through me?

"I'm not going to ask about your parents if that's what you're thinking. I just... Needed to get away for a bit. And I need you to help me hide that jacket before Amaterasu comes up here to check on me."

"Why would she need to check on you...?

"The only times I ever left dinner early were when the owner of that jacket was here. If she sees that jacket, she'll think I've gone back to thinking I did something wrong..." Oh... What..?

"Why would you think you did something wrong...?"

He shook his head. "I'll explain at a later date... Help me out. I don't know where you found it. Amaterasu was the one who hid it in my closet."

I hung the jacket up, considering finding the owner and burning them with it while doing so. Who could've made someone so open, close up like a clam? I walked over and hugged him "I'm here when you're ready to talk about it," I said, my face in his hair.

He smiled, looking up to kiss me. "I know, and I'm happy about that.. I'm gonna get ready for bed. My grandpa is gonna be here tomorrow."

He walked away and into his bathroom, leaving me to stand there awkwardly. I wasn't used to being in other people's houses. Of course, I'd been here, but that didn't make me any less awkward... "Yami, you know my mom will end up feeling insulted if you stay so formal while you're here, right?" My body tensed at the sudden noise, relaxing immediately after discovering it was Yugi. I turned to look at him, watching as he walked over. "If you want to sit somewhere -" he pushed me back onto his bed "- then sit." He walked away to his dresser, leaving me to sit there in a mixture of shock and confusion as to what just happened. "If you want to rummage through my drawers to see what type of clothes I wear outside of school or find something for you to sleep in -" he threw pajamas at me and started approaching once again. "-then do it. And if you want to change in my bathroom, do that, too," he said, shoving me towards the bathroom.

I changed and walked out, leaving my clothes neatly folded on the counter. He walked over, pressing our lips together once he got close enough. I didn't let him go though. I didn't want to. His hands went up to grab my hair, my own going down to his exposed waist. He didn't seem like he wanted me to let go either. We stayed like that until his sister walked in, causing Yugi to pull away with a red face, and slightly labored breathing.

ABD

I was sleeping peacefully next to Yugi, my arm around him until I felt him start moving. I opened my eyes to see what he was doing, but he was still sleeping. His hand shot up, trying to push me, but ended up punching me on the chin. He had a hell of an uppercut too, I thought to myself, rubbing my chin.

"Stop it..." he mumbled. I sat up, looking at him, he turned pale.

"Yugi? Yugi," I called for him, but he wasn't responding to me. I shook him a little bit, trying desperately to wake him. Apparently my desperation got a bit too loud as Amaterasu and some elder man came in.

"What's wrong? Why are you yelling?" She asked.

Of course, walking in and finding me over Yugi, trying desperately to wake him up, probably didn't look good at first. "Yugi. I think he's having a nightmare, and he won't wake up.."

"Get up," she told me, walking over and putting her hands on Yugi's shoulders. I went to stand towards the foot of the bed by the old man, my eyes always on Yugi.

"Yugi! Yugi, wake up!"

He shot up, letting out a noise that sounded like a growling dog being kicked.. It was actually kinda scary..

"I'm up... I'm up... It was... just a dream..." He looked around the room, his eyes falling on the old man beside me. "Grandpa!" He yelled, jumping up and latching on him. I was glad to see he was alright, but my heart wasn't ready to accept that yet, it's beat thudding loudly in my ears still. "I missed you!"

The old man chuckled. "And I missed you too, Yugi. Now, would you mind telling me who this handsome young lad is and why he was sleeping in your bed with you? Have you been having sex and not telling me?"

My body stiffened at the accusations, what the hell? Yugi's face went red and he moved quickly to hide his face in my chest. "NO! Grandpa is a pervert..."

"Hi, I'm Solomon Moto, but you can call me Grandpa. Everyone else does."

He held out his hand and I gladly took it, this old man was funny... For a pervert... "Yami Sennen. Nice to meet you."

He laughed, and I wondered if this man was ever upset over anything. "So formal! What a shocker! No, believe me; after a while, you'll wish you'd never met me, especially if Amaterasu is telling the truth and you and Yugi are together."

"Grandpa! Don't embarrass Yami!" Yugi groaned.

We all laughed and I heard Yugi sigh. "I wanna tell Yami about Tamais..."

"Why?" Amaterasu asked. "You've only known him for a month."

"Yes, I am well aware of how long I've known him for, but I also trust him not to do the things Tamais did. I want him to understand why there are some things he might say or do that might scare me."

I stood there, watching the two of them talk. "Alright, go ahead," Amaterasu said before turning to glare at me. I shrunk a little, but kept my posture straight. "And if you hear about these things and laugh, so help. You. God. I will not hesitate to murder you."

I threw my hands up in surrender. I didn't even know what was going on! "I won't."

Yugi sighed. "Easy, enough," he pulled me so I would sit on the bed next to him, listening closely. He didn't have to tell me... Actually, it made me feel kinda guilty... "First thing I need to tell you: never call me Aki. It's a nickname the owner of that jacket gave me that once pulled me into comfort and now scares me."

Well, I wouldn't be using that name anyway, he was my aibou. "Understood."

"Tamais Hanson," he said, and I made a mental note of that name. Paying extra attention to the rest so I could decide his final fate for myself. "was the owner of that jacket you found. He's also my previous and first boyfriend. At first, he was sweet and kind and everything I could have wanted. We were together all through sophomore year. He and I were the couple everyone wanted to be. They saw us, and they thought we were perfect. Even I thought Tamais was perfect for me for three months of our relationship. Three months in, Tamais changed. He became more violent, seemed like he wanted to hit me more often."

Oh he was definitely getting it... "A week after these changes started happening, I tried to break up with him. He hit me because of it and told me that he wouldn't let me. When I tried to leave, he grabbed my arm and twisted it as far as he could..." He looked like he was having troubles, and I didn't want him to force himself. I put my hand on his, which was on his lap. He smiled, which showed he felt a little better, but I still didn't want him to force himself.

"Things went on like that for about nine more months. Eight months after the abuse started, I told these two about it -" he pointed to his sister and grandfather "- and they wanted to call the cops, but I wouldn't let them because I was scared. Looking back on it, I wish I had."

I had a feeling this Tamais was already going to pay with his life, but why not add to the charges? "On our one year anniversary, he tried to kill me. My mom was already in the hospital, and he said that once I was there, he would go after my sister. If it hadn't been for my cousin, Alli, coming to the apartment to get me and busting down the door when she heard the shouting, I would have died that day." He lifted his shirt and showed a scar going along his stomach. That son of a bitch was gutted like a fish if I ever saw his goddamn face. "Tamais used a knife, and he left that scar there. When we took him to court, he was proven innocent on lack of evidence. He tried to get back with me until we moved here."

He started crying, and seemed shocked by it. As much as I wanted to reach up and dry them, I forced myself still as he continued talking. "There are some things you might do or say that Tamais did as well. I might flinch away from you once in a while, but I don't want you to take it personally. It won't be because of you."

I wrapped my arms around him, I wasn't expecting him to lean into me like he did though, so we toppled over onto the mattress. It was three in the morning, and in order for me to get home, get what I needed, and get to work on time, I was gonna have to be up at five. He cuddled into my side as Amaterasu and his grandfather exited the room, falling asleep rather quickly.

I looked up at the ceiling, apologizing in my own mind for not being able to open up like he did. I couldn't just tell my story.. What if he looked at me differently? What if his family looked at me differently?

I'd looked Death himself in the face and survived. Our stories were pretty similar.. Except that Yugi was only with his abuser a little over a year... I had been born into mine. I too had been fooled by a smiling face.. It all started with the yelling after we moved here... That was when Seto left. I was eight, and he left me to go to uncle's... A month later the physical abuse started. Knives, dishes, bottles, vases; all were thrown along with the fists.. I had countless scars on my back that I kept hidden. No one had seen them, and no one ever would...

* * *

Nickey: And that's the end of that chapter...

Yami: That one was a whirl and a half...

Kitty: Meh. They get worse, don't they?

Yugi: Yep.

Nickey: I don't remember it... xD

Yami: You were supposed to re-read it!

Nickey: Whoops~ Anyway.. We hope you all enjoyed.. And keep leaving those sweet reviews. We read each and every one of them and none are ever skipped :D You guys are awesome, we love you, and keep being you :3

Yami: Yeah... Whatever mush just came out of her mouth...

Kitty and Yugi: Bye~!


	20. Chapter 19: Thankful Fights And

Kitty: Hey, guys! It only took for ever cuz Nickey refused to do the 42nd chapter and I refused to update until she did. But she's done it now, and if you wanna kill someone, kill her!

Yugi: Preferably DON'T kill her. Then Kitty will be lonely...

Nickey: xD Well, ya'll can try, but you have to catch me first, bitches! Just kidding, I don't run, I'll punch you all in the throat... xD

Yami: Don't test it! She's crazy!

Kitty: Anyway, I won't keep you from this any longer. Enjoy!

* * *

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 19

Thankful Fights and Interruptions

Thanksgiving day snuck up on my family, as it always did when Grandpa Moto was over. Of course, I was woken up early by my mom to see if I was going to invite Yami over but shrugged. "He's probably with his family, but I'll call him later," I told her.

She smiled and nodded. "Good. Are you going to bake the pies with me this year?" she asked.

I looked at her like she was insane. "Mom, last time I baked the pies with you, we had to redo the kitchen..." I said.

She paled. "On second thought, I'm gonna go bake those pies on my own..." she said.

I laughed as she left the room. She had really disliked me when she had to remodel our entire kitchen at our last house because I had set an apple pie on fire. I pulled out my phone and began playing Millennial Kingdom, smiling when I beat someone with Dark Magician. Time flew by, and before I knew it, 11:00 had arrived. I decided to go ahead and Skype Yami, and I was shocked when he immediately answered.

"Hey," I said, seeing that he was at the park. "What are you doing at the park?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Nothing. Just wasting time," he replied. "Why?"

"Why aren't you with your family? It's Thanksgiving..." I replied, tilting my head to the side.

"I told you. They're never home," Yami answered. "I wanted to go on a walk, anyway, so I did," he said.

I sighed. "You're coming here," I told him. "You shouldn't be alone on Thanksgiving. It just isn't right. Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to be together and love each other."

He sighed. "Yugi, I shouldn't intrude on your celebration anyways," he said with a small smile. "It would be impolite."

I glared at him. "Well then, fuck being polite for a day," I said. "My mom thinks of you as a part of the family, and if you're not spending the holiday with your family, she'll be insulted if you don't spend it with us."

Yami's eyes widened in shock before he hesitantly nodded. I smiled, glad he hadn't seen the puppy dog eyes yet. "Thank you... I'll see you in a little bit. And can you spend the night? Please?" I asked.

He sighed. "Fine... I'll spend the night... But so help me Ra, if your grandfather makes any more implications, I will jump out your window," he said.

I laughed. "I'll be joining you," I told him after I stopped. "I'll see you later. Mom's probably finishing up with something."

* * *

It was around 1:00 by the time Yami came, and the food had just been finished. I smiled and pulled him into the kitchen and to our seats. "Hello, Mr. Moto, Mrs. Moto," Yami said.

Mom narrowed her eyes. "That's Akira and Zachariah to you, young man," she said as food was passed around by the maids. "Now, we're all going to name one thing we're thankful for. And it can't be anything obvious, like family and friends and such. Yugi, you go ahead and start. Then we'll work our way around the table and end with Yami."

I smiled. "Well, I'm thankful for the new move and the escape from Tamais," I answered.

Dad went next. "I'm thankful for the safety of my son and daughter here in Domino and for the sales with the company's new game," he said.

"Daddy," Amaterasu whined. "You always say something involving the company!"

Mom went before dad could respond. "I'm grateful for dad's wellbeing, and I'm also grateful that Yugi has so many new friends and a very sweet boyfriend."

Amaterasu went after her. "I'm thankful for Yugi's survival after Tamais tried to kill him. I honestly don't know where I'd be if he had succeeded," she said.

Grandpa smirked. "As you all know, sales for the game shop have been going really well," he said. Everyone but Yami nodded. "So I'm grateful for the empty house just down the street that now has my name on a lease."

It took everyone a moment to comprehend what was happening, but once we did, Amaterasu and I jumped up. "GRANDPA'S MOVING HERE!" we screamed in unison, causing everyone but grandpa - especially Yami - to wince.

"Amaterasu's, Yugi, calm down. Let Yami go and then we can talk," mom interrupted before we could get to into our excitement.

Yami's face fell into thought before he answered. "Hm... Weapons," he answered. Everyone looked at him curiously, and he grinned. "I would love to get my hands on that Tamais kid," he explained.

"Dinner" went on with laughing and talking, and I smiled when it finished. "Yami and I are going upstairs," I told them when my mom came to tell us that the pies were being put in the oven. We only had to wait a few minutes until they came out.

I grabbed Yami's wrist and dragged him upstairs. To his credit, he didn't seem shocked that time. I narrowed my eyes thoughtfully. I'd have to fix that. When we went into my room, I smiled and dove onto my bed, rolling around on the covers. "I love my bed," I answered Yami's unspoken question as he stared at me like I was crazy.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you do," he said as he stood in the middle of the room.

I groaned and stood on my bed, jumping off of it to land on his back as he stumbled and I laughed. "Sit. On. The. Bed," I told him as he tried and almost failed to catch his balance.

"Okay, okay," he said with a chuckle. "I'm sitting on the bed." As proof, he walked over to the bed and sat down on it before I got off of his back. We sat there in a comfortable silence for a few moments before he spoke again. "What does your mother do?" he asked.

I shrugged and looked at him. "She's a singer and author. Most of the money we use for finances comes from her CDs," I told him. "She's popular, but I'm not allowed to tell you the name she goes by as a singer."

Yami nodded. "Sensible," he said before I laid on the bed.

"Yami..." I said, grabbing his attention. "Um... I just... Want you to know that I really care about you..." That wasn't what I had originally been planning to say, but I had kind of chickened out.

"And I care about you, too," Yami replied as he looked at me. "What were you really wanting to say?"

I sighed. "Both are questions... One is your opinion and the other is if you'll do something with me..." I said. Yami nodded, so I continued to speak. "You don't think any... less of me for what happened with Tamais, do you?" I asked.

"What?" Yami's voice betrayed his shock. "No! Why would I think differently of you? It's not like you begged him to hurt you..."

I sighed, and my shoulders relaxed a little, relieved that he wasn't thinking any less of me. "And then... Do you want to go for a walk?" I asked.

"Sure. But why? I thought you were big on spending today with family," he replied with a teasing tone towards the end.

I smiled at him. "I do, but sometimes, I need to get away from them. It's kind of a tradition for me to go on a walk after eating, and sometimes 'Rasu joins me so I won't be alone," I told him.

He nodded. "Lead the way then," he said as we got up, bowing and motioning towards the door.

I laughed and walked to the door. "Why thank you, good sir," I said as I walked out the door.

When we got to the park, we sat on a bench and stared at the sky while talking for a little while. Around 3:00, I got a call from Malik. "I'll be right back," I told Yami, getting up and walking a few yards away. "Hey," I told Malik. "What's up?"

Malik smiled. "Not much. We just finished eating, and I called to say Happy Turkey Day!" he said. "What are you doing?"

I laughed. "Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Malik," I said before answering his question. "I'm hanging out at the park with Yami." I turned around to see what Yami was doing, only to see him struggling against some girl in a black mini skirt and pink crop top.

"Oh come on," the girl whined. "Just dump the shrimp!"

I growled. "I've gotta go, Malik. Some slut's all over Yami," I said, hanging up without waiting for a response. I walked over to Yami and the girl and smiled. "Hi, my name's Yugi Moto. I'd really appreciate it if you would get off my boyfriend now," I said in her ear, causing her to jump.

She turned towards me and glared, although she backed away slightly at my own glare. "Yami deserves so much better than you can give him," she said.

I looked at Yami and then back at her. I remembered a similar fight when Tamais and I had first gotten together, and I handled it the same as I was going to handle that one: with patience and apathy. At least, it would have been the same way if she hadn't kissed him. I immediately grabbed her shoulder and pulled her off of him.

"Listen to me, and listen closely," I said with a glare as I pushed her. "I am the last person in the world you want to piss off, and you're already well on your way to succeeding in that." I was slow to anger, but when I got mad, the world had better watch for my anger. I wasn't afraid to send someone to a hospital if I had good reason. I may not have ever wanted to murder someone, but I knew how to torture someone just enough to send them to the hospital. "I have more influence than you realize in this country, and I could turn your life upside down with the snap of my fingers," I continued, snapping my fingers for emphasis. "Now, if you don't want everyone to think negatively about you, I suggest you leave."

The girl flipped her hair before stomping off while Yami looked at me in shock. "Wow..." seemed to be all he could say.

I sighed and plopped onto the bench beside him. "Sorry..." I muttered. "That's only happened once before..."

I felt Yami's eyes boring holes into my head and turned towards him to see him staring at me. "Why would you be sorry?" he asked.

I looked up so that our eyes met and almost melted at the heat radiating from his. "B-because... I don't like to th-threaten people?" I said, unsure as he leaned towards me.

"Well... it was actually pretty hot," he said against my lips. "The way you got possessive over me even though I can't get mad when people insult you."

"It's not the same -" I couldn't even say the last word before Yami's lips were on mine. He pulled away, looking around for something before he grabbed my hand and pulled me to the bathroom.

When we got in the room, he locked the door, and I briefly wondered if anyone was in the room. When Yami pressed me up against the wall and kissed me, I immediately decided to say "fuck you" to anyone who happened to be in the room. He slid his tongue into my mouth, and despite my interrupted sentence that I wanted to finish, I moaned when it rubbed the roof of my mouth. I reached up, and my hands tangled in his hair as I wrapped my legs around his waist - a move bolder than any I had made with Tamais. He grabbed the area beneath my knees so I wouldn't fall and carried me over to the counter, sitting me on it.

My legs fell to either side, and our seemingly favorite position from school bathrooms came into place as I refused to let go of his hair. I simultaneously shivered and jumped as his skin came into contact with my waist. "Your hands are cold," I whined, pulling away just enough to talk without pulling our lips apart.

"Sorry," he replied in a mumble before our lips were back together. His hands went up my shirt, lightly skimming the skin in that area.

We pulled apart for air, and Yami trailed kisses down my face to my neck, stopping to kiss my cheek and nip my earlobe while I caught my breath. "Yami," I said with a sigh as I tilted my head to the side, giving him more access to my neck.

He kissed my collarbone before working his way back up to my cheek, ignoring my ear and littering my cheek with kisses. He leaned his forehead against mine so that our noses touched as we tried to regain our breath. "You're going to be the death of me," he said in an almost silent whisper. I laughed and pressed our lips together in a quick kiss. "I dunno if that's a good thing or not." He chuckled as we pulled away from each other's lips. I tugged him back towards me by his hair and kissed him, our tongues intertwining in a playful dance that lasted seconds before I pulled away, returning us to our previous position. "It's probably a good thing."

I couldn't help the quiet laugh that escaped my throats at his statement. "You think so?" I asked.

Yami nipped my bottom lip playfully before sucking on it and connecting our lips for a few more short, quick kisses one after the other. Kissing Yami was comforting and enjoyable, no matter how we kissed each other, and I loved it. Yami grabbed one of my hands out of his hair and locked our fingers together as he looked at me, his beautiful crimson eyes growing serious. "I..." He paused as if looking for the right words as he looked into my eyes. I waited for him to be ready to continue. "I think I'm most thankful for you this Thanksgiving... I enjoy spending time with you and your family... They're wonderful people, even your perverted grandfather." Both of us let out a laugh at that. "So thank you..." He paused for another second. "But... I am sorry about the way I asked you out... Not sorry that I did, just sorry how I did it... It was a perfect way to ask you out without sounding all mushy though..."

I couldn't resist teasing him to show that I didn't have any hard feelings. "Oh yeah, because you're not being mushy right now," I said.

"Shut up..." Yami replied. "But, seriously, thank you."

"You're welcome, Yami," I said as I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around his neck in a hug. His wrapped around my waist, and I smiled as I nuzzled his neck with my eyes closed, taking in his scent. He always smelled good for some reason, and I loved the scent that was only Yami.

Yami sighed leaning back from the embrace as I unconsciously tried to follow him. "We should get you back home. It'll be getting colder as the day goes on," he said, helping me off the counter.

"Oh come on, Yami," I whined. "I wanna stay for a little while... Lay on the grass and watch the sky... Please?"

Yami shook his head. "No, Yugi. It's going to start getting cold soon," he said.

I sighed. I really hadn't wanted to do this on Thanksgiving, but... My eyes widened, and I covered my mouth with the back of one hand. My head lowered slightly but made sure Yami's eyes were still locked onto mine, and I willed tears to spring to my eyes. "I just... wanna stay a little longer... Do you not wanna stay with me anymore...?" I asked, making it sound as if I was about to cry.

Yami was frozen, and if I hadn't needed to keep up the Kicked Puppy look - that was what mom called it while Amaterasu called it my Puppy Dog Eyes of Doom - I would have laughed. It was common for people to react that way when they received the PDED for the first time. "F-fine... But... don't cry..." he stuttered.

I immediately grinned and wrapped my arms around his neck in a hug. He seemed too confused to hug me back as I let go of him. "Thank you!" I exclaimed.

"Um... you're welcome?" he replied with a questioning tone as we left the bathroom and walked through the park until we found a spot clear of people, where we laid down. I rested my head on his chest, and we stared at the sky.

* * *

The buzzing of my phone by my head woke me up, and I grabbed it, unconsciously hitting the answer button. "'Lo...?" I asked.

"Hey, Yugi. What happened yesterday that made you hang up?" Malik asked.

I turned onto my side to see Yami laying down beside me and felt his arm around my waist. Using my free hand, I started playing around with his hair. "Some girl was flirting with Yami while we were at the park... What time is it?" I replied.

"Um... 9:36," Malik answered. "That sucks... What happened?"

I shrugged. "I yelled at her and scared her with threats of making her life miserable. Then she left, and Yami and I ended up in a bathroom," I said.

I could hear Malik's smirk as he spoke. "So... You and Yami had sex?" he asked.

"N-no!" I yelled. "W-we did n-no-not!" I felt my cheeks become red as I accidentally tugged Yami's hair.

"Mhm... And that's why you're stuttering, right?" Malik teased before I heard him singing. "Yami and Yugi sitting in a tree. Doing stuff they're not supposed to be. Starts with s- and ends in -x."

"We were not doing that!" I shouted. "Get your head out of the gutter!"

Malik laughed. "Yugi, my head is always in the gutter. That's why you love me so much," he teased.

"Sure it is," I told him, not noticing when Yami sat up until he was hovering over me.

Malik said something, but I didn't hear it as Yami pulled the phone away and leaned down so that his mouth was by my ear. "Who are you talking to?" he whispered, sending shivers down my spine.

"Um... Malik..." I answered as I saw him tap the screen on my phone and lay it face down. "Why'd you do that?"

"Because I'm going to do this," he said before he connected our lips. My hands moved up to tangle themselves in his hair again so he wouldn't pull away. I didn't know if he had planned to, but if he was gonna hang up my phone, he wasn't gonna kiss me once and then leave me hanging.

"Don't you dare pull away," I muttered against his lips. "Because you're not allowed to do that, kiss me once, and then leave."

I felt him chuckle. "You actually think I planned on doing that?" he asked before pushing our lips together more firmly as his hands moved up my shirt. They ghosted over my stomach and chest as my hands in his hair pulled him closer to me.

We broke apart for air, and his lips moved to my neck. "You know... What dad would say if he walked in right now?" I asked. Yami hummed against my neck, causing a quiet moan to leave my mouth. "He'd start demanding that you take a bullet to the heart to prove your love for me..."

I felt Yami as he lightly chuckled before he moved his lips to my ear. "I would..." he told me before nipping my ear.

"I'm aware..." I told him before reconnecting our lips. His tongue moved into my mouth and rubbed against the roof of it before twisting it around my tongue.

My door opened, and Grandpa's voice caused us to jump apart. "I see I stopped the sex before it started," he said with a chuckle.

Yami moved to get off the bed, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Get out," I told Grandpa, laughing as he shut the door. "Now where did you think you were going?" I asked Yami.

"I told you," Yami said, "that if he makes one implication I was going to jump out your window."

I laughed and pulled Yami to me by his hair. "Well, he's gone now, so don't leave me alone," I said before connecting our lips. Before we could go any farther, my phone buzzed, and I groaned. "What?" I demanded when I answered. "When someone hangs up, it usually means I'm busy."

Malik huffed from the other end. "Well, I'm sorry for making sure you were okay," he said. "You hung up without saying goodbye. And what're you busy with at 9:40 in the morning?"

I growled. "Stuff. Now go away," I said, hanging up and looking at Yami. "People are assholes," I muttered as my phone rang. I groaned, turned it off, and threw it across the room.

Yami kissed me as the door opened. I glared at Amaterasu. "IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH ME MAKING OUT WITH MY BOYFRIEND?!" I demanded. Why did the universe hate me?

Amaterasu left, locking the door, and I laid my head down on the pillow as Yami moved his head to my neck. "People are assholes," he said against my skin. I smiled as he started kissing my neck repeatedly, moving the kisses to my jaw - which he nipped - my cheek, and my ear.

* * *

Nickey: And that's the end of our show!

Yami: It's a story... Not a show...

Nickey: No one cares!

Kitty: So, bye I guess!

Yugi: And sorry about the wait!


End file.
